preparing to implement common core state standards june 6, 2011

Preparing to Implement Common Core State Standards

June 6, 2011

2 ©2011 U.S. Education Delivery Institute and Achieve

Time to vote!


The public sector in general – and education in particular – face increasing pressure for results

Productivity imperative for the education

sector

Pressure for enhanced learningoutcomes

Pressure to prepare students to meet workforce needs

Recession and budget cuts: pressure to utilize

public funds wisely


The Prime Minster’s Delivery Unit (PMDU) was founded in 2001 to help the British government take on similar challenges

Key activities of the PMDU

Monitor and report on the delivery of the Prime Minister’s top priorities

Identify key barriers that prevent improvements and actions needed to strengthen implementation

Strengthen departmental capacity to deliver through better planning and sharing knowledge about best practice

Selected targets that the PMDU oversaw

Education:▪11-year-old English proficiency▪11-year-old Math proficiency▪14-year-old English proficiency▪14-year-old Math proficiency

Health:▪Heart disease mortality▪Cancer mortality▪Max waiting time for non-emergency

surgery▪Emergency room waiting time▪Physician appointments

Crime:▪Street crime▪Burglary▪Car crime▪Offenses brought to justice

Transportation▪Road congestion▪Train punctuality


Within four years, the government was on track to hit over 80% of its high-priority targets

Targets on track, percent

December 2004

17

83

December 2003

47

53

July 2004

62

38


The US Education Delivery Institute has distilled the PMDU’s delivery approach to 15 essential elements

Develop a foundation for delivery

Understand the delivery challenge

Plan for delivery

A. Evaluate past and present performance

B. Understand drivers of performance and relevant activities

A. Determine your reform strategy

B. Set targets and establish trajectories

C. Produce delivery plans

A. Establish routines to drive and monitor performance

B. Solve problems early and rigorously

C. Sustain and continually build momentum

Drive delivery

A. Define your aspiration

B. Review the current state of delivery

C. Build the delivery unit

D. Establish a “guiding coalition”

2 3 41

Create an irreversible delivery culture

5

A. Build system capacity all the timeB. Communicate the delivery messageC. Unleash the “alchemy of relationships”


EDI was founded to bring this approach to state systems of K-12 and higher education

EDI focuses on supporting states in their implementation efforts to: Achieve college- and career- readiness for all students Increase postsecondary access and degree completion Close equity gaps

Higher Education Systems The California State University

System The Connecticut State University

System The Kentucky Council on

Postsecondary Education The Louisiana Board of Regents The University System of Maryland

The University of Missouri System The State University of New York The Pennsylvania State System of

Higher Education The Tennessee Board of Regents The University of Wisconsin System

K12 Systems Delaware Kentucky Louisiana Massachusetts Tennessee

System Partners


EDI has worked with Achieve to adapt the approach for Common Core implementation

Organize To Implement

AspirationInternal leadership team Timeline Budget Gap analysis

Stakeholder communications

Critical Questions

Where are we now?

What would success look like in 2014-15?

What are our strategies to achieve success?

How will the strategies be implemented through the field to the classroom?

How will we connect strategies to expected outcomes?

How will be monitor progress and stay on track?

Take

Action:

Implementation

Actions

Align instructional materials

Train educators

Transition technology and assessment system

Transition accountability and data reporting system

Align teacher preparation, evaluation, and licensing

Inform student transitions to higher education

Covered in workbook AnticipatedDesired student outcomes


The Common Core workbook is organized according to the essential elements of this adapted approach

Diagnostic questions to help your team gauge the extent to which you have already addressed the action(s) in question

Brief narratives that provide principles and potential options for putting the relevant action(s) in place

Case stories that illustrate the principles in the narrative

Exercises that will help flesh out your implementation strategy and put the relevant action(s) in place.

Each chapter covers one or more essential elements of the approach, and includes…

Workbook Table of Contents Completed

Reviewing System Capacity and Timelines

June 6, 2011


Why Do We Need an Implementation Timeline?

▪In many states, there are more moving pieces than ever before happening concurrently: Coordination is essential

▪Look across the areas of work and funding to consider how they interact

▪Faster is not better: What matters most is being thoughtful, realistic, and comprehensive

▪Implementation will depend on state/district needs and capacity

▪Detail is important: Year-by-year is not enough

▪Communicate your timeline publicly: This effort is too large and complex for “whisper down the lane”


What Might a Timeline Include?

▪Foundational Elements (e.g. establish leadership team, build guiding coalition, develop communications plan)

▪Align Instructional Materials

▪Train educators and administrators

▪Transition assessment system

▪Transition technology to support assessment and accountability systems

▪Align teacher preparation, evaluation and licensing programs

▪Align the transition space between K-12 and postsecondary

▪Monitor and sustain progress


Discussion: Our State Timelines

Objective: additions and revisions to your timeline for CCSS implementation

Instructions: ▪Using the template and sample

timelines, discuss the following:– Which type of timeline are you

following (accelerated or other)?

– In light of the sample, how might your timeline need to change?

– Which tasks will be state-led, district-led, or a hybrid?

– Will you stagger by grade or content area?

▪If you have not yet created a timeline, use this time to discuss what one would look like for your state

References: Workbook pages 3.10 – 3.16 Time: 15 minutes

Template

Sample timelines in workbook (most critical in orange)


Time to vote!


The workbook contains a rubric that will help you assess your system’s capacity to implement its timeline


Exercise: Review your system’s capacity to implement its timeline

Objectives: ▪A self-assessment of your

system’s capacity to implement its timeline in five key areas

▪Based on your self-assessment, selection of a topic to focus on for the rest of the meeting (instructional materials or professional development)

Instructions: ▪Using the rubric in the workbook,

make your own judgment about your system’s capacity to implement its timeline

▪“Vote” on your judgments▪Discuss and agree on a judgment

for each of the five areas References: Handouts, workbook pages 2.3 – 2.8 Time: 30 minutes

Rubric

Self-assessment worksheet

Template


Time to vote!

Constructing a Delivery Chain

June 6, 2011


A delivery chain helps you to understand how you can reach the field

Definition

A delivery chain is the set people or organizations, and the relationships between them, through which a strategy (in our case, instructional materials or professional development) will be implemented.

A delivery chain has one question at its core: Starting from the intent of the leaders in your system and ending with the desired change in behavior on the front line (better teaching practice that improves student outcomes), how – and through whom – will your strategy be implemented?


There are a few core principles for drawing a delivery chain

▪For the strategy you are considering, where does the chain begin and end, and what are the levels between?

▪At each level, who are all the people or organizations that could conceivably be involved in implementing the strategy? How many of each are there? What role does each play?

▪What are the most important lines of direct influence from the beginning to the end of the chain? How will they work?

▪Are there secondary or more indirect relationships that involve others? How important are they?

Questions to ask

▪A mapping of each person or organization and its location relative to others (e.g., state level, LEA level), with an indication of how many of them there are (e.g., 150 superintendents)

▪Short summary of the role played by each person or organization

▪Lines between people/organizations that represent relationships of influence

▪Brief description of each relationship of influence

Visual elements to include


As applied to the Common Core, delivery chains will help you to map your strategy for influencing instructional practice

StateRegion/ County District School Classroom

Chief

Curriculum/ instruction team

Website

Regional centers

Curriculum directors

Curriculum committees

Manage

Principals Teachers

Teachers

TeachersMarket by

9/2012

Post by 9/2011

Train

and d

istr

ibute

by

9/2

01

1

Coaches Teachers

Train

and d

istr

ibute

by

9/2

01

3

Consult

Train and Distribute by 9/2013

1

1

1 65,000

65,000

65,000

65,000

1500

400150

150

15

Train

and d

istr

ibute

by

5/2

01

2

Train

and d

istr

ibute

by

9/2

01

2

Sample delivery chain: instructional materialsWhat percent of teachers will change their behavior as a result?

10% (small districts)

15% (large districts)

5% (mix)

15% (large districts)


Once you have drawn a delivery chain, it is important to identify weaknesses and address them

Typical challenges Potential solutions

Individual relationships

▪Weak personal relationships▪Low leverage

▪Identify and replicate stronger relationships of this type

▪Identify alternate routes to the end of the chain

Complexity ▪Too many actors necessary to get something done

▪“Rationalize” chain▪Identify alternate routes to

the end of the chain

Funding flows ▪Mismatch between resource flows and delivery chain

▪Redesign chain to take advantage of leverage from resource flows

Feedback loops

▪Few or no feedback loops ▪Create feedback loops▪Use feedback loops to exert

influence

Choke-points ▪Overreliance on a few key actors

▪Build capacity/cooperation of key actors

▪Identify alternate routes to the end of the chain


It is helpful to anchor these weaknesses in specific points on the delivery chain

Sample delivery chain with weaknesses identified: instructional materials


Chief


Website

Regional centers



Principals Teachers

Teachers

Teachers

Coaches Teachers

1

1

1 65,000

65,000

65,000

65,000

1500

400150

150

15

What are the potential weaknesses?

Historically difficult relationship and loose authority structure – curriculum directors not likely to listen to regional centers

1

In smaller districts, principals may not have capacity to train their teachers

2

A large proportion of teachers are not accustomed to using any state website to receive curricular resources

3

1

2

3


Breakout session: Draw and analyze your delivery chain

Objectives: ▪A brief description of your strategy

for ensuring that the right instructional materials or PD are available

▪A map of your delivery chain for ensuring that instructional materials or PD make it to the field and change classroom behavior at scale

▪An analysis of weaknesses in the chain, and what you plan to do about them

Instructions: ▪Using the handouts as a

discussion starter, decide what your state’s ideal strategy is

▪Map the delivery chain on poster paper and record weaknesses on flipcharts

Instructional materials handout

PD handout

References: Handouts, workbook page 5.11 Time: 90 minutes Analysis

worksheet

Delivery chain template

Potential weaknesses handout

Using the Delivery Chain to Measure Progress

June 7, 2011


Time to vote!


There are four main types of metrics that you can use to measure progress

Alignment

User satisfaction

Classroom practice

Impact on student outcomes

Description

Extent to which teachers and principals have received instructional materials aligned to the CCSS

Extent to which teachers and principals find aligned instructional materials helpful

Extent to which teachers receiving aligned instructional materials use them to change what they do in the classroom

Extent to which teachers receiving aligned instructional materials achieve better results for their students

Sample metrics (instructional materials)

▪Number of teachers and/or principals who have received aligned instructional materials

▪Number of teachers and/or principals expressing satisfaction with aligned instructional materials

▪Self-reporting of changed practice by teachers who have received aligned instructional materials (versus those who have not)

▪Formative or summative assessment data, comparing teachers who have received aligned instructional materials with those who have not

▪Observations of practice for a sample of teachers that have and have not received aligned instructional materials


The delivery chain will help you to decide which metrics to focus on

Sample delivery chain with metrics identified: instructional materials


Chief


Website

Regional centers



Principals Teachers

Teachers

Teachers

Coaches Teachers

1

1

1 65,000

65,000

65,000

65,000

1500

400150

150

15

What are the metrics we will use?

Number of districts undergoing training

1

Number of teachers undergoing training

2

Number of teachers who have accessed web portal

3

Number of teachers who 1) are using the new materials and 2) are satisfied with them

4

Number of teachers whose classroom behavior is changing, as reported by principals and educator leaders

5

Difference in gain on formative assessments for teachers using materials vs. not

6

1

2

2

2

3

4

4

4

4

5

5


Once you have prioritized your metrics, you need to ensure that collection mechanisms are in place for each

Metrics from delivery chain (instructional materials) Potential ways to measure them

Number of districts undergoing training

1 ▪Fold into district monthly reporting

Number of teachers undergoing training

2 ▪Fold into district monthly reporting

▪Attendance reports from professional associations and universitiesNumber of teachers who have

accessed web portal3 ▪Website analytics engine

Number of teachers who 1) are using the new materials and 2) are satisfied with them

4 ▪Add relevant questions to existing school climate survey

Number of teachers whose classroom behavior is changing, as reported by principals and educator leaders

5 ▪Extrapolate from sample focus groups of principals, as well as existing principal advisory group

Difference in gain on formative assessments for teachers using materials vs. not

6 ▪Formative assessment data combined with survey self-reporting of adoption in classrooms


Tennessee’s school climate survey is a rich source of data that can be tapped for rapid feedback

Tennessee Teaching, Empowering, Leading, & Learning (TELL) Survey

▪Established in 2011 as part of the state’s Race to the Top plan

▪First statewide survey of principals and educators at this scale

▪Contains a variety of questions on topics including:– Collaborative instructional

planning– School and teacher leadership– Facilities and resources– Professional development

▪In first administration, over 77% of the state’s educators participated, giving 1,605 out of the 1,745 schools access to anonymous data on their educators’ responses


Breakout session: Develop your metrics for feedback

Objectives: ▪Identification of priority metrics

that will help you collect feedback on whether your strategy is working

▪Identification of ways to gather data on these metrics that are feasible in your state

Instructions: ▪Using the handouts and your

existing delivery chain as a starting point, identify a balanced set of metrics (across the four types) that cover the “pain points” in the chain

▪Brainstorm a list of ways to gather data on these metrics that will be feasible References: Handouts, workbook page 6.12

Time: 65 minutes

Template

Potential metrics handouts

Worksheet

Establishing Routines and Monitoring Progress

June 7, 2011


Routines are crucial to ensuring that you keep your effort on track

▪ Regularly scheduled checkpoints to assess whether your implementation effort is on track

▪ Engine that drives implementation forward: Without routines, implementation will stall or be replaced by more urgent concerns on the agenda

▪ A source of structure and discipline to create order in complex education systems

What are routines?

▪ Monitor performance: Understand if system is on track to deliver on its aspirations

▪ Diagnose problems: Surface issues that are inhibiting progress and analyze data from delivery chain to pinpoint causes

▪ Address problems: Provide a venue to discuss and decide how to overcome challenges

What purpose do routines serve?


In the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit, three routines kept things on track

Definition Purpose

Prime Minister Notes (monthly)

▪ Progress briefing for the prime minister

▪ Consists of a brief summary, followed by a short report

▪ Update the prime minister on progress against targets, key actions required, and warning signs of risks

▪ Identify areas where prime minister needs to make decisions or recommendations

Stocktakes (quarterly)

▪ Regular meeting of prime minister, leaders from relevant departments, and key officials

▪ Evaluate delivery of specific set of activities ▪ Update the prime minister on progress▪ Enable prime minister to hold individuals

accountable ▪ Provide focus, clarity and a sense of urgency ▪ Make decisions on key actions or new policy

needed ▪ Remove barriers to cross-departmental work

Delivery reports (semi-annual)

▪ Comprehensive assessment of the status of all of the system’s key priority areas

▪ From delivery leader to prime minister

▪ Update prime minister on comparative progress against all priorities

▪ Outline what success looks like for priorities over the next 6 months

▪ Identify key actions that need to be taken▪ Act as a reference document against which to

chart progress


All routines focused on the recent data and the likelihood that a target would be delivered

PMDU Assessment Framework

Red

Amber/Red

Amber/Green

Green

Highly problematic – requires urgent and decisive actionProblematic – requires substantial attention, some aspects need urgent attention

Mixed – aspect(s) require substantial attention, some goodGood – requires refinement and systematic implementation

Recent performanc

e against

trajectory and

milestones

Likelihood of

delivery

Degree of challenge

Quality of planning, implementation and performance management

Capacity to drive progress

Stage of delivery

L/M/H/VH

1/2/ 3/4

Key

Judgement Rating Rationale Summary


Progress on each target was compared in a league table

Red

Amber/Red

Amber/Green

Green

Key

Highly problematic; requires urgent action

Problematic; requires action

Mixed; some good, some action required

Good; requires only refinement

Overall judgment

Quality of planning, implementation and performance management

Capacity to drive progress

Degree of challenge

Stage of delivery

Likelihood of delivery

July 2004

A PSA 1 L G G 3 G

GB PSA 2 L G AG 2

C PSA 3 H AG AG 3 G

D PSA 4 H G AG 3 AG

A PSA 5 VH

G AG 2 AG

B PSA 6 H AG AG 3 AG

C PSA 7 H AG AG 2 AG

D PSA 8 H AG AG 3 AG

A PSA 9 H AG AG 2 AG

B PSA 10 VH

AG AG 2 AG

C PSA 11 VH

AG AG 2 AG

D PSA 12 H AR AG 3 AG

A PSA 13 VH

AR AG 2 AR

B PSA 14 VH

AG AR 2 AR

C PSA 15 VH

AG AR 2 AR

D PSA 16 VH

AR AR 2 AR

A PSA 17 VH

AR AR 2 AR

B PSA 18 H AG AR 3 R

C PSA 19 H AG AR 2 R

D PSA 20 VH

AG AR 3 R

A PSA 21

VH

R R 2 R

= 1

= 1

3

4

5

6

= 7

= 7

= 7

= 10

= 10

12

13

= 14

= 14

= 16

= 16

= 18

= 18

20

21

DeptRank (out of 21)

Assessment criteria

Degree of challenge:

L = low

H = high

M = medium

VH = very high


One PARCC state uses a combination of quantitative and qualitative information to make interim assessments of progress

Example: Interim data for one strategy in 3rd Grade Reading Goal

Leading indicators for a strategy

Qualitative judgments of the likelihood that each of the strategy’s projects will deliver the promised impact on the goal

+

A quarterly data set that can serve as the evidence base for a performance conversation about the strategy

# STRATEGY LEADING INDICATOR Q12010-11

2

Ensure Prek-3 teachers statewide receive consistent professional development related to curriculum standards.

Teacher retention of teachers <5 years service, grades PK-3 87.8%


Massachusetts uses a modified version of this approach in its bimonthly notes on delivery priorities

Example: note for college and career readiness goal

Immediate actions for the commissioner

Likelihood of delivery for each core strategy in current and prior periods, based on most recent data and qualitative assessmentAdditional detail on the evidence underlying the likelihood of delivery for each core strategy


Time to vote!


Exercise: Analyze and develop your own routines for monitoring progress

Objectives: ▪Identification of existing routines

in your agency that are or could potentially be used to monitor progress for your instructional materials or professional development strategy

▪Decisions on specific ways in which you can improve existing routines or add new ones if necessary

Instructions: ▪Identify and analyze your existing

routines using the template▪Evaluate how well they fit

together to give an overall picture of performance, and decide whether to add more References: Handouts, workbook page 11.7

Time: 25 minutes

Template

Analysis worksheet

Charting a Way Forward and Capturing Next Steps

June 7, 2011


We have covered a section of the Common Core workbook in detail during this gathering

Organize To Implement

AspirationInternal leadership team Timeline Budget Gap analysis

Stakeholder communications

Critical Questions

Where are we now?

What would success look like in 2014-15?

What are our strategies to achieve success?

How will the strategies be implemented through the field to the classroom?

How will we connect strategies to expected outcomes?

How will be monitor progress and stay on track?

Take

Action:

Implementation

Actions


Train educators

Transition technology and assessment system

Transition accountability and data reporting system

Align teacher preparation, evaluation, and licensing

Inform student transitions to higher education

Covered at this instituteDesired student outcomes


Now we will revisit our capacity review and think through next steps

Organize to implement


Train educators

ElementRating (1-4)

What we have accomplished Next steps

▪ Internal leadership team

X ▪ ▪

▪ Strategies to achieve success

X ▪ ▪

▪ Understanding how the strategies will be implemented through the field to the classroom

X ▪ ▪

▪ Strategies to achieve success

X ▪ ▪

▪ Understanding how the strategies will be implemented through the field to the classroom

X ▪ ▪


Exercise: Revisiting the capacity review and capturing next steps

Objectives: ▪Review of progress made and immediate next steps for

the areas we have covered▪Identified broader next steps for CCSS implementation

Instructions: ▪Using the capacity review ratings for the areas we

have covered, reflect on progress in the last two days and immediate next steps in these areas

▪Discuss the following questions:– Does our timeline for CCSS implementation still feel

right? – How well is the state working with and leveraging

the work of its leading districts?– What lessons can the state draw from leading

systems?– What are the first things we need to focus on when

we return home?– What additional or outside support do we need? Material: N/A

Time: 45 minutes

Template

Thank You

preparing to implement common core state standards june 6, 2011

Documents

delivery message

postsecondary education

current state of delivery

delivery unit d

pmdus delivery approach

momentum drive delivery

irreversible delivery

produce delivery plans