Bellingham Public Schools

District Elementary Reading Improvement Plan

Date: March 31, 2000

Goal(s)

Connection to Pathway for the 21^st Century (Goal #)

Goal Statements

State

1, 2, 3

By Spring 2001, at least 58% of fourth grade students will meet or exceed the state reading standard as measured by the Washington Assessment of Student Learning.

District

1, 2, 3

By Spring 2001, at least 85% of K-2 students and 73% of 3-5 students will meet or exceed grade level standards as measured by performance on District Reading Assessments (DRA/DRP).

Target(s)

Connection to Pathway for the 21^st Century (Goal #)

Target Objectives

Assessment

1, 2, 3

Assessment data will be consistently used to guide instructional decision-making at the student, classroom, building and district levels.

Curriculum and Instruction

1, 2

Reading curricula and exemplary instructional practices will be clearly articulated and consistently implemented across grades and programs.

Staff Development

Staff development will be provided that fosters deep understandings of district curriculum, research-based instructional strategies and performance assessment to support successful student learning.

Parent Involvement

Meaningful opportunities for parents to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to support their student's learning will be readily available.

Curriculum Director's Signature:

District Action Plan

Focus: Assessment				Date: March 31, 2000
State Goal: By Spring 2001, at least 58% of fourth grade students will meet or exceed the state reading standard as measured by the Washington Assessment of Student Learning. District Goal: By Spring 2001, at least 85% of K-2 students and 73% of 3-5 students will meet or exceed grade level standards as measured by performance on District Reading Assessments (DRA/DRP).		Pathway Connection: Goal One: Maximize Learning and Teaching Goal Two: Support All Students Goal Three: Assess Progress
Target Objective 1: Assessment data will be consistently used to guide instructional decision-making at the student, classroom, building and district levels.
	Who		Implementation Timeline		Evaluation/Assessment Data Collected
1a. Formally assess all K-2 students at least three times each year to determine instructional reading level and to monitor progress over time.	Teacher		2000-2001		DRA data collected and reported to district three times per year
1b. Formally assess all 3-5 students at least two times each year to determine instructional reading level and to monitor progress over time.	Teacher		1999-2000		DRP data collected and reported to district two times per year
2a. Continuously assess all students using one or more assessment tools that may include Running Reading Records, observation notes, fluency checks, story retellings and written responses to reading.	Teacher, Support Staff		2001-2002		Principal-teacher conferences, assessment records, collaboration notes, classroom evidence of student work
2b. Regularly assess and document progress of students reading below expectation (grades 1-2 at least every 3 weeks and grades 3-5 at least every 6 weeks).	Teacher, Support Staff		2001-2002		Assessment records, principal-teacher conference notes, report card, reading improvement plans
3. Develop, implement and evaluate learning goals and instructional plans for reading improvement for all students reading below grade-level standards based on ongoing reading assessment.	Teacher, Support Staff		2001-2002		Report card and report card comment form, principal-teacher conferences, assessment records, collaboration notes

	Who	Implementation Timeline	Evaluation/Assessment Data Collected
4. Report results of state and district reading assessments to parents, district administration and the community at least three times per year.	Teacher, Principal, Central Office Staff	1999-2000	Report cards, parent conferences, School Performance Reports, District Performance Report, annual Student Achievement Board Report, media release of state scores
5. Evaluate effectiveness of district reading assessments and accuracy of data including: · DRA measures of comprehension · grade-level standards · articulation between grade level standards on DRA (2^nd) and DRP (3^rd)	Literacy Task Force	2000-2001	Recommendation to Director of Curriculum and Deputy Superintendent, revised support documents as needed
6. Identify/develop tools for ongoing assessment of reading progress across content and genre.	Literacy Task Force	2001-2002	Tools piloted with resulting data collected to validate assessment for intended purpose, correlation with DRP
7. Develop an Assessment Guide for staff to increase understanding and consistently implement district and classroom assessments.	Literacy Task Force	2000-2001	Assessment guides published and in observable use.
8. Support coordinated instructional delivery through use of shared data and collaboration between regular education and special programs.	Teacher Support Staff	2002-2003	Consistency of data, increased student achievement for special populations, collaboration notes, teacher lesson plans, report card and learning goals
9. Identify and provide tools that support student self-evaluation of reading progress.	Literacy Task Force	2000-2001	Student self-evaluation samples, level of student participation in goal setting and conferences.
10. Provide staff with assessment data in a variety of forms, including longitudinal and comparison reports, graphs, and related analysis to support instructional decision-making at building and program levels.	Central Office Staff	2001-2002	Log of requests/responses for data, support staff site visits, observable use of data in strategic plans

District Action Plan

Focus: Curriculum and Instruction				Date: March 31, 2000
State Goal: By Spring 2001, at least 58% of fourth grade students will meet or exceed the state reading standard as measured by the Washington Assessment of Student Learning. District Goal: By Spring 2001, at least 85% of K-2 students and 73% of 3-5 students will meet or exceed grade level standards as measured by performance on District Reading Assessments (DRA/DRP).		Pathway Connection: Goal One: Maximize Learning and Teaching Goal Two: Support All Students
Target Objective 1: Reading curricula and exemplary instructional practices will be clearly articulated and consistently implemented across grades and programs.
	Who		Implementation Timeline		Evaluation/Assessment Data Collected
1. Implement consistent instructional practices as identified in the document "Core Understandings and Common Practices" in all K-5 classrooms district-wide.	Teachers, Support Staff, Principals		2003-2004		Classroom observations, teacher-principal conferences, student achievement data, professional development participation and levels of use
2. Hold regularly scheduled instructional conferences to monitor individual student, classroom and building progress toward reading improvement goals.	Principals, Teachers		2000-2001		Meeting schedules/minutes, assessment data, records of student progress, teacher goals and student learning plans
3. Regularly review building and district progress toward reading improvement goals at least once each trimester.	School Admin., Supervisors		2000-2001		Building and district data, notes from conferences, adjusted strategic or reading improvement goals as needed
4. Provide principals with models for instructional conferences and templates for documenting/monitoring student progress over time.	Curriculum Dept.		2000-2001		Samples identified and distributed to buildings, observable use in teacher/principal/ supervisor conferences, program adjustments
5. Collaboratively develop and implement student learning goals and plans for reading improvement for students in special programs.	Classroom and Special Programs Teachers		2002-2003		IEP, Title I Learning Plans, report card goals and strategies, collaboration meeting minutes, evidence of shared instructional delivery

	Who	Implementation Timeline		Evaluation/Assessment Data Collected
6. Identify resources to support collaboration among and between regular education and support staff at the building level.	Literacy Task Force, Special Programs Staff	2002-2003	Task Force minutes, building planning, increased level of collaboration
7. Maximize available resources to support reading improvement through collaboration and articulation between district level programs and support services.	Program Directors, ESL Staff	2001-2002	Director's Meeting minutes, cooperative planning, integration of technology in support of reading, evidence of joint professional development
8. Revise District Language Arts Curriculum Guide to reflect State Frameworks for Reading and Text Forms and Features.	Curriculum Dept.	2000-2001	Document published and in use at the building level
9. Expand opportunities for students to develop/improve reading skills through extended day and summer school programs, including identification and implementation of model intervention programs for students reading below grade level standards.	Central Office Staff, Principals, Literacy Task Force	2001-2002	Increase in number and type of opportunities district-wide and in level of participation/ number of students served. Pre- and post-test student achievement data, parent/teacher surveys
10. Evaluate current district opportunities for extended learning to ensure consistency with regular program: · expectations for student learning · measures of assessment · instructional approaches · materials	Central Office Staff, Literacy Task Force, Principals	2000-2001	Summary report and/or recommendations to Deputy Superintendent
11. Develop a structure for sharing building level efforts toward reading improvement: · intervention strategies · schedule and organization for instruction · organization of resources · assessment/monitoring student progress	Literacy Task Force	2000-2001	Use of structure. District-wide survey: levels of use and need

	Who	Implementation Timeline	Evaluation/Assessment Data Collected
12. Provide opportunities and resources for Library/Media to enhance and align library collections with district assessments and Text Forms and Features.	Curriculum Dept., Library, Media & Technology, Library Media Specialists	2000-2001	Increased availability and use of library materials as measured by response to levels of use and need survey
13. Identify and prioritize need for differentiated materials for special populations and purchase as funds are available.	Special Programs Staff	2001-2002	Observed materials in use, referenced in IEP or other learning plans, student achievement data for special populations
14. Expand integration of technology to support reading instruction.	Curriculum Dept., Library Media & Technology, Library Media Specialist, Teachers	2002-2003	Levels of use surveys, technology assessments, classroom observation

District Action Plan

Focus: Staff Development				Date: March 31, 2000
State Goal: By Spring 2001, at least 58% of fourth grade students will meet or exceed the state reading standard as measured by the Washington Assessment of Student Learning. District Goal: By Spring 2001, at least 85% of K-2 students and 73% of 3-5 students will meet or exceed grade-level standards as measured by performance on District Reading Assessments (DRA/DRP).		Pathway Connection: Goal One: Maximize Learning and Teaching
Target Objective 1: Staff development will be provided that fosters deep understandings of district curriculum, research-based instructional strategies and performance assessment to support successful student learning.
	Who		Implementation Timeline		Evaluation/Assessment Data Collected
1. Recommend and implement a district plan for long-range professional development to ensure consistency and to focus resources on reading improvement.	Professional Development Steering Committee		2000-2001		Needs Assessment Data Draft Plan and recommendation to Deputy Superintendent every 3 years
2. Provide resources and support for building-based professional development focused on reading improvement and consistent with the District Instructional Professional Development Policy and Procedures (Policy #5340).	Curriculum Dept., Principals, Site Councils		2000-2001		LID/Early Release Activities, professional development/clock hour records, professional development plan proposals and budgets, levels of use surveys of student achievement data
3. Plan and provide inservice to help all teachers develop exemplary practices and core understandings that support reading instruction.	Literacy Task Force, Professional Development Committee, Curriculum Dept.		2000-2001 ongoing		Meeting minutes, recommendation to Deputy Superintendent, professional development/clock hour participation, principal supervision

Who

Implementation Timeline

Evaluation/Assessment

Data Collected

4. Provide opportunity, structure and resources for mentoring activities that build teacher capacity for and confidence in reading assessment, evaluation and related instructional strategies.

Curriculum Dept., Literacy Task Force, Human Resources Dept.

2001-2002

Mentor records, TAP records, teacher survey data

5. Hold regularly scheduled support meetings for new teachers and mentors.

Human Resources Dept., Curriculum Dept.

2001-2002

Attendance logs, agendas, teacher surveys