Critical Question #1: What do we want students to be know and be able to do?
In Secondary ELA, our first responsibility is to clearly define the essential learning every student must master. We identify the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that matter most—those that build strong readers, effective writers, critical thinkers, and articulate communicators. Teachers have worked to establish a shared vision of learning by unpacking standards, prioritizing standards, and designing curriculum based on standards and skills. By doing so, we ensure that every student receives access to a guaranteed, viable, and purposeful curriculum.
R.E.A.L. Criteria for Prioritizing Standards
Readiness - is this standard essential for students to succeed in the next course, grade level, or postsecondary academic demands?
Will students struggle in the next grade/course if they don't master this skill now?
Is this a prerequisite for more complex reading and writing?
Does mastery of this standard set students up for postsecondary expectations?
Endurance - does this standard provide long-lasting knowledge and skills students will use beyond this unit, this year, and this course?
Will students need this reading, writing, thinking, listening, or speaking skill in future grade levels or in postsecondary contexts (college or career)?
Does this skill support long-term literacy development?
Is this skill something students will continue to apply across content areas and real-world situations?
Assessed - will this standard be assessed on the WYTOPP, ACT, or other high stakes assessment?
Is this knowledge or skill directly measured on our state assessment or nationally recognized tests?
Does the standard reflect the types of reading passages, evidence-based writing tasks, or language skills students are expected to demonstrate on those exams?
Would prioritizing this standard help prepare students for the assessment demands they will face in secondary and postsecondary settings?
Leverage - does this standard support or strengthen learning in other areas outside of Language Arts?
Will this ELA skill help students be more successful in other classes?
Does the standard reinforce transferable skills such as argumentation, research, close reading, note-taking, or academic vocabulary?
Could mastery of this skill improve students’ performance on assessments beyond ELA?
Guaranteed & Viable Curriculum
Design curriculum guides (year long plans) & assessments based on prioritized standards
District-wide commitment to teach the identified priority standards and skills
Content & Performance Standards
Wyoming state law requires that standards in all content areas are to be reviewed every nine years. Language Arts standards are currently in the review process. See the Wyoming Department of Education Standards Review Timeline and the Standards Review Process for more information.