For a full PDF version of the Curriculum Management Plan click here.

Curriculum Philosophy

The Northwest Independent School District believes the purpose of education is to prepare all students to be successful, productive citizens. In conjunction with our District’s Strategic Plan, Northwest ISD will design dynamic learning experiences to ensure that all students are future-ready learners. Premier instruction aligns the written, taught, and assessed curriculum, and reflects a standard of high expectations for student achievement. Premier instruction takes place in an engaging environment, incorporates engaging work, and results in engaged learners. Premier instruction is a collaborative effort shared by students, parents, community partners, teachers, principals, central administrative staff, the superintendent, and the Board of Trustees.

The development of the core and enrichment curriculum is research-based, data driven, and developed with an awareness of future trends. Curriculum is aligned to the state and national standards, but uses those as a starting point and is more rigorous and deeper than the standards. An ongoing cycle of curriculum design, delivery, monitoring and evaluation ensures continual program improvement and enhanced student achievement. The management of the curriculum is guided by strategic planning, including the NISD core beliefs, vision, and mission.

Purpose of the Curriculum Management Plan

The Curriculum Management Plan (CMP) is designed to support the mission of the Northwest Independent School District (NISD) to provide all students a premier education preparing them to be successful, productive citizens. NISD is committed to continuous improvement of teaching and learning to produce graduates that are future-ready. The design and implementation of the curriculum is consistent with the district’s goals, mission, state law and State Board of Education rules. The Curriculum Management Plan details a systematic, on-going program of curriculum development, assessment, implementation and evaluation of the curriculum.

The CMP provides clear direction for students, teachers, and administrators. It establishes a framework that outlines guidelines and procedures for the design, delivery, monitoring, and evaluation of curriculum (See Figure 1). NISD understands that student learning is the result of a well-written aligned curriculum delivered by highly-qualified teachers using sound instructional practices.

While instructional differentiation shall occur to address the unique needs of all students, instruction must be delivered from a common set of standards and curriculum objectives. This plan helps to ensure equitable access to the curriculum for all students, so that all graduates of NISD are ready for college, ready for the workplace, and ready for personal success.

Curriculum Alignment Definitions

Curriculum alignment is the coordination of what is written, taught, and assessed. Curriculum alignment must consider state and local standards, district programs, instructional materials, designed written curriculum, instructional strategies, and assessments in this alignment. Ensuring that curriculum is aligned between departments, grade levels, and teachers, and campuses is crucial for optimal student achievement. Curriculum alignment principles are to be reflected in the curriculum guides, instructional resources, professional learning, instructional practices, student assessments, facilities, and budgeting. When the curriculum is aligned, there is congruence both horizontally and vertically.

In keeping with the goals and objectives of the NISD’s mission, vision, Profile of a Graduate and Strategic Plan goals, we will create an aligned curriculum that promotes success for all students. The CMP is based upon the following definitions and principles about curriculum design, delivery, monitoring, and evaluation.

Written Curriculum

Written Curriculum is defined as those standards and goals that students are to achieve and teachers are to teach. Teachers are required by board policy to deliver the written curriculum. Since the curriculum is a system decision, not a campus or employee decision, curriculum proposals must be approved by central administration. Written curriculum for Northwest ISD will contain the following components: state standards that are prioritized and unpacked so they are aligned to district developed and criterion-referenced assessments; a scope and sequence with suggested pacing schedules, aligned resources; and examples of instructional strategies.

Guiding principles for the management of the written curriculum include:

A curriculum that prepares all students to be future-ready while adhering to state laws, State Board of Education rules, as well as state and federal requirements.
A curriculum that involves students, teachers, principals, curriculum coordinators, parents, and/or community members, as appropriate.
A curriculum that is based on a set of non-negotiable, relevant, prioritized, and challenging student standards which guide decisions about teaching and learning and which are aligned vertically (PK-12), horizontally and systemically across campuses.
A curriculum developed to ensure that students from teacher-to-teacher and campus-to-campus have the same opportunity to learn the same standards at each instructional level.
A curriculum that is accessible, manageable, user-friendly, and current.
A curriculum that is monitored, reviewed and updated regularly at all levels: district, campus, and classroom.

Taught Curriculum

Taught curriculum refers to the delivery of the written curriculum. It is the process that is used by teachers to develop units of study, lesson plans, and/or approaches to instruction for teaching the written curriculum. Guiding principles for the management of the taught curriculum include:

Classroom instruction that is aligned to the district curriculum with clear learning outcomes for students, essential questions, and learning targets.
Professional development for teachers to fully understand curriculum standards and high yield instructional strategies with connections to the NISD Instructional Framework.
An analysis and unpacking of each objective so that instructional strategies and student tasks match content and assessment.
Instructional resources and programs such as textbooks, software, community resources, and other materials based upon their alignment within the written curriculum.
Expectations that all students will perform at high levels.
A varied pace for learning according to the needs of each student and the complexity of the task.
Opportunities for teachers to use flexibility and creativity in their approach and practice time for student learning success.

Assessed Curriculum

Assessed curriculum is that portion of the written curriculum that is assessed both formally and informally, to evaluate student progress toward mastery of the written curriculum. Teachers will use frequent formative assessments to determine student achievement on given curriculum objectives and standards. Assessment data is used to make curriculum decisions and adjustments for classroom instruction and individual student needs.

Guiding principles for the management of the assessed curriculum include acquisition, analysis, and communication of student achievement data to:

Guide teachers’ lesson design and instruction at appropriate levels of cognition.
Guide students’ learning.
Guide district/campus improvement of curriculum alignment and programmatic decisions.
Use of State-level assessments as required.
Communicate student performance and progress to parents so that learning can be supported at home.
Guide curriculum writers’ in determining the effectiveness of the written curriculum documents, resources, and instruction provided by teachers.
Includes alignment of campus-based assessments for learning to district CBAs and benchmark assessments and extends to state assessments.
Assessments have value for teachers and students to predict performance on formative and summative assessments.

Curriculum Support – Roles And Responsibilities

Exemplary curriculum design, delivery, monitoring, and evaluation result when all stakeholders know, understand, and execute their respective roles and responsibilities. The district has purposefully considered what each stakeholder does to contribute to the successful evolution of an aligned curriculum. In this section of the Curriculum Management Plan, the various stakeholders have been identified, and thoughtful consideration has been given to their respective roles and contributions.

Click on the down arrow to the right to see each group's role in curriculum support.

Students

Students are recognized and valued as the beneficiaries, and as partners in the teaching and learning process. For optimal learning to occur, students must be active participants engaged in the learning process. Students:

Understand their learning strengths and needs;
Meet or exceed learning requirements based on the district curriculum and standards; and
Recognize the impact that their behavior has on their own learning and the learning of others.

Parents

Parents are the child’s first and most influential teachers. They know their child better than anyone else. Thus, in partnership with the teacher(s), parents play a critical role in the learning process. Parents:

Establish high expectations for learning, and nurture the desire for their child to be a lifelong learner;
Are actively involved in their child’s education by:
- Knowing their child’s teacher(s);
- Attending meetings that provide them with information about the school;
- Attending parent/teacher conferences;
- Keeping up with their child’s progress, report cards, and test data.
- Making certain that their child completes homework assignments, and that their child goes to class prepared for learning with all the necessary tools.
Help their child develop good study habits;
Establish and maintain a positive attitude toward the school, personnel, and the educational process;
Make every effort to provide for the physical, emotional, and health care needs of their child.

Teachers

The teacher is responsible for effectively teaching the locally adopted curriculum with a variety of instructional tools and for assessing student mastery with a variety of assessment tools, including any required district/state assessments. To support learning of the required curriculum, the teacher:

Identifies students’ learning strengths and needs;
Develops a deep understanding of the curriculum and of effective ways to facilitate student learning of the curriculum;
Continues to unpack standards to better understand student expectations and rigor or learning that must take place;
Designs and implements a program of instruction that meets the strengths and needs of each student;
Engages students in the learning process;
Frequently assesses and documents student mastery of curriculum objectives and modifies instruction to ensure student success;
Communicates learning strengths and needs of students, parents, and others;
Provides feedback to students on a continuous basis to help students understand needs and next steps so that they have control of their own learning;
Encourages parents to support student learning;
Participates in the district/campus professional development designed to support these functions; and
Demonstrates an understanding of the curriculum management plan and articulates how their work supports the curriculum mission.

Principals

The campus principal is the key to implementing and monitoring the delivery of the curriculum. The principal must transmit the importance of curriculum delivery on a daily basis. To effectively support curriculum delivery, the principal:

Develops a working knowledge of the curriculum scope and sequence matrices for all subjects/courses;
Reviews and interprets assessment data, and plans for improvement of assessment results;
Updates the campus improvement plan to reflect the implementation of a highly articulated and coordinated curriculum, and provides/facilitates professional development related to the campus improvement plan;
Reviews curriculum maps and lesson plans, observes teaching in each classroom on a regular basis, monitors implementation of the required curriculum, and ensures effective instructional delivery;
Participates in regular classroom walkthroughs;
Provides feedback for teachers based on classroom walkthroughs, student work, and student assessment data;
Using walkthrough and student data to determine alignment between grade levels, campus, and district;
Collaborates with individual teachers and/or teams;
Meets with district instructional staff;
Provides opportunities for teachers to discuss and share ideas and strategies;
Participates in staff development needed to effectively carry out these functions;
Helps parents understand their role in supporting the curriculum; and
Demonstrates an understanding of the curriculum management plan and articulates how their work supports the curriculum mission.

Superintendent and Central Administrative Staff Members

The superintendent is responsible for implementation of the Board’s policies. The superintendent and designated central administrative staff member(s):

Assist the Board in creating and revising required policies to ensure a comprehensive curriculum management system;
Analyze and interpret assessment data;
Participate in classroom and campus walkthroughs
Evaluate and provide feedback to teachers and principals based on walkthrough data and student work
Determine alignment between campuses and district;
Set curriculum guidelines and priorities;
Direct curriculum development process, design, and alignment;
Organize and facilitate committees to develop and review the curriculum;
Provide/locate professional development and resources needed to implement the curriculum;
Provide support to principals and teachers in their roles of implementing and managing the curriculum on their campuses; and
Demonstrate an understanding of the curriculum management plan and articulate how their work supports the curriculum mission.

Board of Trustees

The Board, through its policy-making responsibility:

Establishes policies to direct and support ongoing curriculum development and evaluation;
Authorizes the development, implementation, and review of a strategic plan for the District that identifies community expectations for curriculum;
Adopts a budget that provides for the development, implementation, and training needed to effectively deliver the curriculum;
Approves curriculum scope and sequence matrices that outline the standards, goals, and benchmarks that students are expected to master; and
Demonstrates an understanding of the curriculum management plan, and articulates how their work supports the curricular mission.

Section 2: Alignment of Curriculum

Curriculum Design & Components

NISD strives to develop and implement a rigorous curriculum that develops future-ready students. The components of the curriculum writing document strengthen and enhance the curriculum. The guide provides a structure for curriculum writers by listing components that may be present within the curriculum documents.

NISD curriculum development is framed by the efforts of the curriculum coordinators and writers. The teams articulate and coordinate the curriculum content for all subjects and courses. They are organized and trained to write the curriculum using a standard template. Subject-area curriculum coordinators provide input to the curriculum development process and guide the writing teams. The Executive for Teaching and Learning chairs the curriculum and staff development teams. Together these groups coordinate, manage, and evaluate the overall effectiveness of the curriculum development and alignment, as well as the staff development process.

Rigorous Curriculum Model Components

A rigorous curriculum is essential in order for students to maximize their learning potential. NISD has four specific components in their curriculum writing documents. Each of these components will be explained in depth in the next few pages.

Standards
Instruction
Assessments
Data Analysis

NISD Curriculum Writing Scope & Sequence Guide

NISD has a standard curriculum writing guide for the Scope and Sequence documents to ensure that required curriculum components are present. This template was designed by curriculum coordinators, coaches, and district administrators after attending curriculum audit training and doing research on strong curriculum components and design.

Standards

Academic standards are determined by the State of Texas for each academic content area. The State Board of Education periodically updates content standards called the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). The TEKS have been developed to help children be successful during and after the complete school. Student Expectations (SEs) or TEKS consist of both Readiness and Supporting Standards.

Texas Education Agency (TEA) has determined readiness standards from the TEKS, and although readiness standards are more essential than supporting standards, supporting standards still play a vital role in student learning. Lead4ward classifies readiness and supporting standards as follows:

Readiness standards:

Are essential for success in the current grade or course.
Are important for preparedness for the next grade or course.
Support college and career readiness.
Necessitate in-depth instruction.
Address broad and deep ideas.

Supporting standards:

Are introduced in the current grade or course, but they may be emphasized in a subsequent year.
Are reinforced in the current grade or course, but they may be emphasized in a previous year.
Play a role in preparing students for the next grade or course but not a central role.
Address more narrowly defined ideas.

Aligned Standards Curriculum Components

NISD believes there are numerous standards that make students college and career ready. NISD curriculum documents contain when appropriate the following components. These are not always identified specifically in the curriculum, but are part of the planning and curriculum writing process.

Standards – Aligned student objectives for each unit are stated at the beginning of each unit. All standards are aligned to state and grade level standards for each content area. Readiness and supporting standards are identified within the document.
Correlation – Standards should always show correlation to TEKS, STAAR, PSAT/SAT, ACT, Advanced Placement exams, end-of-course exams, and locally developed criterion-referenced assessments
Rigor of Standards – Definitions of the standards are present in the document as well as the level of thinking or skills rigor that is necessary for the student to successfully demonstrate mastery of the standard.
English Language Proficiency Standards – The ELPS are important for English Language Learners to develop for successful implementation of the curriculum.
College and Career Standards – Any college and career standards that are present within the document are highlighted.
Technology Standards – Integrated technology standards are highlighted within the document.
Vertical Documents – Understanding the vertical alignment of the standards is important, so that teachers understand what learning students are coming to the grade with and what they need to be able to do when they leave.
Scope and Sequence – A timeframe for teaching each standard and student expectation is provided in the scope and sequence. Along with the scope and sequence the curriculum document may include:
- Curriculum maps
- Pacing schedules
- Sequence of standards being taught
Academic Vocabulary – Essential vocabulary is listed within the curriculum document for teachers to highlight or front load for increased student understanding and success.
Essential Questions – Essential questions establish learning focus based on the standards throughout the entire lesson.

Link to Curriculum Writing Checklist.

Unpacking Standards

Understanding exactly what the learning standard is expecting students to do is critical for students’ success on any given lesson because it identifies key concepts and skills. Curriculum writers have unwrapped the standards and fully understand the level of complexity of the standard. When standards are unwrapped, teachers understand exactly what students must know and be able to do in order to master the standard. Unwrapping the standards occurs to determine the rigor of the standards, the academic vocabulary, and essential questions. Unwrapping the standards is part of the curriculum writing process, but continues with the classroom teacher prior to teaching the lesson to ensure they fully understand the student expectation and standard.

Conceptual misunderstandings may also be pointed out for the teacher as look-fors and to plan for issues that may arise during instruction.

Appropriate pacing guides are written and aligned using previous years’ data to ensure appropriate time allotment for difficult, readiness or power standards.

Additional Considerations

Curriculum writers should consider the following things when writing district curriculum:

Why do students need this course or skill to be successful in life?
How does the curriculum support the profile of a graduate?
What are our beliefs for this course?
What is our mission for this course?

Aligned Instruction Curriculum Components

Aligned instruction is equally as important as the standards being taught. Instructional differentiation is necessary to meet the individual needs of all students, but the curriculum document provides suggestions for instructional practices that prove to be effective and research-based.

The curriculum documents may contain the following components regarding instruction:

Use of research-based practices, instructional strategies, and methodologies aligned to the state standards.
Use of appropriate levels of depth and complexity and higher-order thinking skills as related to the targeted standard.
Suggested or required activities and assessments
Literacy strategies and connections are embedded with reading suggestions, writing prompts, or other literacy skills.
Conceptual units of study with related performance tasks and scoring guides or rubrics.
Engaging student learning experiences
Suggestions for both formative and assessment opportunities
Related instruction with a variety of strategies to ensure differentiation, enrichment, and intervention strategies for a variety of learners:
- Emergent Bilingual
- Special Education
- Gifted and Talented
21st Century Skills
Sample Assessment Items
Guiding Questions
Essential Vocabulary
Technology applications
Cross-curricular components
Appropriate Thinking Maps & Anchor Charts that are applicable to specific standards

Considerations

Curriculum writers consider what a teacher needs to know about research-based best practices, methodologies, developmental appropriateness, and priorities for use of instructional time in order to provide appropriate levels of challenge.

Connections

The curriculum provides connections for special programs so that coordination and articulation occur by design.

Teachers provide opportunities for students to see practical applications for content and skills being taught.
Cultural heritage connections and opportunities are present through the content.
There are suggested strategies for integrating the curriculum across other disciplines, including technology applications.

Coordination with Special Programs

Curriculum writers will work with directors and coordinators that oversee special programs within the district. The following considerations are important:

Is there a seamless coordination between coordinators of special programs and the Executive Director for Teaching and Learning relative to curriculum design?
Is the district approved template used to develop curriculum for special programs?
Has a vertical team been organized with representation for the academic strand to develop curriculum for the special programs?
Has a budget been prepared to support the curriculum development cycle for special programs?
Has the district curriculum management plan been followed to design, deliver, monitor, and evaluate curriculum for special programs?

Resources

NISD is a resource–rich district with both traditional type resources as well as technology-driven resources. Due to the abundance of resources, it is important for the curriculum to give a list of suggested resources for teachers to use for instruction within their classroom. It is also imperative that resources are approved by the State of Texas as well as NISD for proper use. Resource approval is based on if a resource is:

Aligned with standard and instructional strategies
Uses appropriate levels of depth and complexity
Strategies for the training of administrators and teachers to effectively implement the curriculum

An annual review of the district resources is done to ensure alignment and effectiveness.

Resources not approved by curriculum and instruction or in the curriculum document must be submitted by the principal or their designee to the Executive Director for Teaching and Learning for alignment and review. The principal must use the district form found in the appendices.

The curriculum document also contains links to additional resources for teachers. These resources may include:

Videos of lessons being taught previously
Training or professional development pieces on specific standards
Exemplars or examples of student work

Taught Curriculum Protocols

Per Board Policy EH (Local): Curriculum Design, teachers shall follow the District’s curriculum that has been designed for their teaching assignments. Teachers will be trained in the delivery of the curriculum. Campus administrators will be expected to monitor the proper implementation of the District’s curriculum. District and campus personnel will be expected to provide an environment of support for the delivery of the curriculum. Through vertical teams, writing cadres, and special task forces, staff will have the professional opportunity to help develop curriculum, make curriculum revisions, and provide direct feedback about the curriculum.

It is expected that instructional delivery will be based on sound teaching principles and grounded in educational research. The instructional delivery process is to include the following:

Determination of students’ current skills and learning to guide instruction at appropriate levels of challenge.
Analysis of a variety of student achievement data.
Analysis of each NISD standard so assessment is aligned with the standard, and instructional strategies align with, and bridge between the written standard and the assessment.
Lesson plans are aligned to the NISD curriculum standards per the scope and sequence.
A classroom climate that is engaging, and affirms the worth of all students.
Positive relationships with students within a caring atmosphere.
High expectations for all students.
Opportunities for all students to experience personal success.
Orientation of students to what they should know and be able to do by the end of the lesson/unit.
Varied time for learning according to the special needs of students and the complexity of the task.
Shared responsibility for learning among students and staff members.
Varied approaches to meet a variety of learning styles, intelligences, and needs.
Progression to a more challenging level for students who demonstrate mastery of the standards.
Reteach and extension opportunities for students based upon the results of initial instruction.
Technology as a tool to teach and learn the required curriculum.
Encouragement of parents and students to work with teachers to establish learning targets for students in order to achieve mastery of the curriculum.
Opportunities for students to accelerate through the curriculum requirements.

Instructional Framework

Northwest ISD compiled a committee to review high impact instructional strategies that would most benefit the students in NISD. The committee looked at the district Profile of a Graduate, district data, college and career readiness standards, as well as cognitive and soft skills to determine the skills our students needed to experience success. The committee developed the NISD Instructional Framework. This document is present in all of NISD curriculum pages and part of discussions when developing professional development.

The Instructional Framework includes four critical components; Planning, Instruction, Assessment, and Learning Environment. The Framework has detailed statements around each of those domains as well as an infographic that is designed to show the components and how they work together. The infographic has the four domains being driven by the five outside foundational elements.

NISD has created an interactive Instructional Framework site that teachers and administrators can access for support with instruction and planning. The site breaks down the critical components with detailed information. The details include links to resources and tools that highlight research-based and district promoted strategies to support teachers in the planning process. The tools include a one-pager with a description of the strategy and the research used to develop the strategy.

Link to one page NISD Instructional Framework

Copy of Instructional Framework Planning Document Template

Curriculum Audit

The district curriculum will be written and aligned to ensure students are provided a premier education preparing them to be successful, productive citizens. The goals and standards within each curriculum shall be clear and concise, and incorporated into a common format for ease of use by the classroom teacher. District, state and national standards shall guide curriculum development.

Validate the curriculum for its degree of adequacy and rigor by:

Scoring the curriculum document using the curriculum management audit criteria for curriculum adequacy.
Analyzing the standards for level of difficulty as directed by the curriculum audit
Comparing the standards to external national and/or international standards for the appropriate discipline
Using an internal and external reviewer to validate adequacy and rigor

Curriculum guides shall, at a minimum, address the following criteria:

Clarity and Specificity of Standards
Congruence of the Curriculum to the Assessment Process
Delineation of the Prerequisite Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes
Delineation of the Major Instructional Resources
Clear Approaches for Classroom Use

The following rubric is used to measure effectiveness of the following criteria within the curriculum document.

Curriculum Components Rubric

Curriculum Monitoring

Principals, curriculum coordinators, and district administration shall manage the implementation of the aligned curriculum. Curriculum monitoring is an evaluation process that occurs during every phase of the curriculum development cycle. All instructional staff members are responsible for monitoring the curriculum to ensure that the written, taught, and assessed curricula are aligned.

Click on the arrow to the right for strategies for curriculum management include the following:

Analysis of student assessment data throughout the year, followed by conferences with individual teachers and/or teams
Translate the importance of effective curriculum and instruction practices on a regular basis
Observations of teachers (both forty-five minute and frequent walk-throughs)
Schedule curriculum-planning meetings or review minutes of team/departmental meetings
Meetings with district Curriculum and Instruction personnel
Review of lesson plans and district curriculum
Campus-based training opportunities on the curriculum using district-approved trainers
Opportunities for teachers to discuss and share ideas and strategies
Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
Principals, curriculum coordinators, and district administrators provide feedback to teachers regarding implementation of the curriculum.

Fidelity of Implementation

The following chart shows the process of monitoring the curriculum and checking for fidelity of implementation in regard to curriculum and instruction. The chart can be used when looking at specific strategies, standards, and content focuses. The chart is designed to determine alignment across grades, contents, campuses or district.

Campus administrators, as well as District administrators, are responsible for monitoring curriculum delivery. Administrators should use observations, PLCs, and student data to design professional development that reinforces the expectation of quality instruction.

Curriculum Evaluation

Curriculum updates are an ongoing process and curriculum is updated annually. Teachers monitor through continuous evaluation of student performance data. Throughout the year, teachers track the written curriculum, making notations for possible revisions to the written curriculum. A program evaluation component that guides curriculum redesign, instructional planning, and programmatic decisions based on student achievement within each program area will be the basis for curriculum redesign. Teachers use forums to note specific needs or changes for the curriculum. Curriculum writers meet regularly to determine curriculum needs and adjustments based on data and feedback.

Curriculum is updated throughout the course of the year based on the following evaluation data:

Disaggregated and analyzed student data
- State assessments and district benchmarks
- Curriculum-based assessments
- Advanced Placement exams
- Diagnostic tests
- PSAT/SAT/ACT
- CoGAT
- ITBS
- INOVA
Deconstructed test
Data that reflects implementation of curriculum
- Classroom observations
- Teacher feedback
- Walkthroughs
- Standards-based bulletin boards
- Student work products
Curriculum audit data
Teacher needs assessment

District Alignment and Curriculum Evaluation

The superintendent annually develops instructional goals based on the needs of the district. These goals are articulated district-wide and are part of the superintendent’s annual review by the NISD Board of Trustees. These goals are developed carefully using a comprehensive needs assessment and with feedback from multiple stakeholder groups.

District Improvement Plan

NISD creates a DIP based on the comprehensive needs assessment to support the needs of stakeholders in the district. The DIP outlines specific actions needed to support the goals of the district as well as budgetary needs to accomplish the actions.

Campus Improvement Plan

Campus Improvement Teams review the District Improvement Plan and their campus data and needs to determine the specific focus and strategies to ensure that their students reach their highest potential.

Section 3: Professional Development

Professional Development

The professional development plan for Northwest ISD is focused on continuous improvement of instruction and is designed to provide teachers with the tools and knowledge needed to teach the curriculum as outlined in the NISD Curriculum Management Plan.

It is important that professional development takes place throughout all stages of the curriculum process.

Written - Professional development must take place after the written curriculum is created and prior to instruction to ensure that teachers and principals understand the document, its contents, and the standards. Prior to instruction, it is important to reflect what professional growth is required or recommended for effective delivery of the district curriculum. This professional development will be led by curriculum coordinators, curriculum writers, content coaches and/or the executive director of curriculum.

Instruction – During this stage of the curriculum process, professional development needs to be done based on teacher, student, or class needs. Administrators gather data based on walkthroughs, student work products, and document checks. Administrators use the process of needs assessment based on classroom observations to determine professional development needs. Professional development is used to ensure alignment as well as fidelity with curriculum delivery. This professional development is led by curriculum coordinators, content coaches, curriculum writers, principals, CITs, or teacher leaders.

Assessment – Student achievement data must guide instruction and improve student performance. Professional development is determined after using a variety of assessment data. During this stage, next steps need to be determined and interventions planned for increased student achievement. This stage of professional development is led by principals, CITs, coaches or teachers.

Professional development will provide for the following:

Research-based training opportunities in the design and delivery of curriculum
Induction training for new teachers
Mentoring and coaching for all teachers
On-the-job application of learning with follow-up and support
Opportunities for teachers to share ideas and strategies
Vertical and horizontal connections of the standards
The expectation that learning and improving is part of the job
Supporting all students so that equal access is afforded to all students
Use of district curriculum documents
Appropriate use of resources to support standards
Instructional expectations using the Instructional Framework
Using data to monitor and adjust instruction

Delivery of professional development occurs in the following ways:

Through instructional strategies workshops
Through team building exercises
Through curriculum writing
Through writing for publication
Through presenting at conferences
Individually, in small groups, and in large groups
Via online coursework
Via distance learning

Professional Learning Communities

Campus or district level PLCs will analyze both quantitative and qualitative data to determine next steps in student learning. Timely review of assessment data is important, so misconceptions can be addressed as quickly as possible. During PLCs, educators analyze student work and/or assessments for alignment between classrooms, campuses, and the curriculum.

Curriculum coordinators are responsible for district level PLC agendas and reporting results of district assessments. Campus administration set expectations and agendas for campus PLCs.

Campuses will analyze their data as compared to district and state data to diagnose student learning needs. Teachers work together to select research-based instructional strategies to meet the goals and needs of their students and student groups. Comprehensive action plans for intentional monitoring of strategies throughout the initial or reteach process to evaluate implementation of instructional strategies.

Section 4: Assessment

Aligned Assessment Curricular Components

Assessments are an important part of the curriculum plan and process. Students, teachers, schools and school districts are evaluated based on performance on state assessments, but that is a very small part of the importance of the assessment component.

District assessments include Curriculum Based Assessments (CBAs) that monitor the written curriculum as well as the taught curriculum to analyze student needs, teacher professional learning needs, and curriculum adjustments. NISD also uses diagnostic assessments to gain a deeper profile of a students’ strengths and possible deficits. Benchmark assessment may be used to gather additional data on student performance. Daily formative assessment is the most important assessment done by the teacher. This allows the teacher to gather timely feedback on a students’ understanding of a standard or task. Formative assessment allows a teacher to adjust her instruction and/or support to best support the students.

Assessments guide teachers’ instruction at appropriate levels of depth and complexity as well as appropriate context as it is related to specific content. Assessments are designed to measure student progress to allow teachers to make instructional decisions using data from assessments. Curriculum-based assessments also guide district improvement of the curriculum alignment and programmatic decisions. Assessments should be reviewed prior to instruction to ensure proper instruction for students. The curriculum department provides annotated assessments for all curriculum based assessments that directs teachers to components of the curriculum that may cause misconceptions or that they should pay special attention to. The district provides detailed reports with a breakdown of data based on student expectations, questions, demographics, and campus data. Suggested interventions are also provided on the areas that did not show mastery. Teachers are expected to review data as a team and plan for intervention in the areas below mastery.

Link to Evaluation of Assessment template

The curriculum documents include the following components based on assessments:

Formal and informal assessment opportunities
Checking for understanding activities
Assessments are aligned with standard and Profile of a Graduate
Common Summative Assessments
Pre and Post Formative Assessments
Assessments use multiple measure and formats to assess learning
On-going classroom-level assessment of student learning in a variety of formats (portfolios, performances, products, demonstrations, criterion-referenced tests, etc.)
Adequate practice and assessment in the testing format of STAAR, SAT, ACT, and Advanced Placement exams
Diagnostic Assessments
End of Course/Summative Assessments
Accommodations/Modifications for English Language Learners
Special Education Students

Link to Evaluation of Assessment template

Additional Assessment Resources include:

Exemplar pieces to ensure that performance standards are measured at the same standard
Rubrics are developed for assessments to ensure alignment and guide students understanding
Critical writing opportunities in all content areas

NISD students have eportfolios to house work products and assessments throughout their time within the district.

Data Analysis

Effective use of student achievement data is critical to assessing student mastery of the NISD standards. Data-driven instruction occurs when assessment data is used to guide instructional decisions at the student, classroom, campus, and district levels. Assessments have many purposes that are focused around student achievement:

Diagnose student learning needs
Measure student progress
Pre-assessment of students’ learning levels for diagnostic purposes
Focus or narrow instruction by teaching to standards not mastered
Guide teachers’ instruction at appropriate levels of depth and complexity
Vary the instructional time, setting, and/or presentation for reteach and enrichment opportunities based on student achievement data.
Evaluate performance levels of students and student groups
Guide placement in tutoring or special help programs based on assessment data
Determine effectiveness of written curriculum
Evaluate effectiveness of instructional strategies
Align classrooms or campuses
Communicate progress to parents to support learning at home

A systematic approach to data analysis is important to ensure that data is analyzed and used to improve instruction and student achievement. NISD has information management systems to house data from state, campus, or district assessments. Principals, district leaders, and teacher leaders will lead groups through data disaggregation following assessments.

Board of Trustee Reports

Reports are delivered to the Board of Trustees following a cycle to provide the board with highlights as well as challenges in the district regarding student performance for each content area or program. This is an important part of the budgetary process because it helps the board understand our needs, necessary changes, and the next steps. Understanding these pieces will help the board to support budget requests.

Program Evaluation Cycle

NISD regularly evaluates programs in the district. The Director of Research Assessment and Accountability oversees the program evaluations while working with personnel responsible for the program. Program evaluations include quantitative data that may come from assessment scores, student grades, enrollment numbers, and program retention. The evaluations also include qualitative data that may come from participant surveys, teacher feedback, or parent reviews.

Requirements for New Courses

Initial proposal development and review should include Campus Site-based Teams including the principal, department or grade level chair, and curriculum coordinator.

Proposals for new courses are due to the Executive Director of Curriculum and Professional Development on or before the last school day of October. All proposals must include the following criteria:

Course Title
Grade Level
Student population(s) served
Rationale and justification in terms of student needs
Description of the course and objectives
Methods for evaluating student achievement
Prerequisites
Amount of credit and GPA level for courses
Instructional resources and materials to be considered
Certification/Personnel requirements
Budget for 1st year implementation
Projected costs for maintaining course
Description of professional development
Technology requirements and implementation plan
Space/Facilities requirements

A review committee consisting of representatives from Curriculum, Finance, Human Resources, Technology, and campuses will review all proposals.

All new courses recommended by the committee will be submitted to the Board of Trustees.

All approved courses will be offered for the following school year provided that the needed curriculum has been elaborated.

Requirements for Curriculum Initiatives and Programs

New curriculum initiatives and program proposals will be accepted by the Executive Director of Curriculum and Staff Development at any time. Initial development and review should include Campus Site-based Teams including the principal and department or grade level chair.

New curriculum initiatives and programs must be research based and aligned with district curriculum standards. All proposals must include the following criteria:

Initiative or Program Title

• Grade Level(s)

• Student population(s) served

• Rationale and justification in terms of student needs

• Description of the initiative/program components

• District standards/TEKS addressed

• Methods for evaluating student achievement

• Additional instructional resources and materials needed

• Budget for 1st year implementation

• Projected costs for maintaining initiative/program

• Description of professional development

• Technology requirements and implementation plan

• Space/Facility requirements

A committee designated by the Director of Curriculum and Professional Development will review all proposals.

All approved curriculum initiatives and programs will be implemented in accordance with the submitted plan.

Section 5: Finances

Financial Support

The budget process will ensure that district goals and priorities for the development and delivery of curriculum are met in the preparation of the district budget. In order to do this, staff will utilize a program-based budgeting process. Funding priorities for the curriculum and instruction department will be formulated in a manner that is congruent with the District Curriculum Management Plan as well as the District Improvement Plan. Identified technological support and staff development needs will be an integral part of formulating the curriculum and instruction budget. Decisions related to reduction or increases in funding levels will be addressed through the district decision making process. District Instructional Goals are also considered when looking at the budget decisions regarding curriculum and instruction. It is also imperative to consider federal, state, and local funds when working through the budgetary process. Finally, budgeting decisions will reflect program costs that are driven by the district’s curriculum and instruction foci, legal requirements for program delivery, growth, and district priorities.

Section 6: Glossary

Vertical Alignment (articulation) - refers to the agreement throughout the PK-12 system
Horizontal Alignment (coordination) - refers to the agreement within a grade level or course
Content Alignment - refers to teaching what is tested (skills and knowledge required for success on assessments)
Context Alignment - refers to teaching the way skills are tested (format or testing protocol student must follow for success on assessments)
Deep Alignment - refers to clarifying standards with specificity such that variation is eliminated.

Assessment - evaluative measure of student achievement

Assessments - refers to STAAR released tests used as a district assessment

CBAS Assessments - refers to a district developed assessment used to measure student progress on taught standards
Criterion Referenced Tests - refers to an assessment based on performance toward a predetermined set of skills/competencies
Norm Referenced Tests - refers to an assessment that compares a student's performance based on established norms
Universal Screener – assessments to identify students that are at risk of experiencing learning difficulties. Universal screeners are target specific skills. Some universal screeners are given more than one time a year to determine growth.

Best Practices - optimally effective professional behaviors that are confirmed by sound research

Bloom's Taxonomy - a classification of thinking developed by Benjamin Bloom and organized by level of complexity: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

Critical Thinking - the development of analytical processes for purposes of decision-making which includes using specific attitudes and skills such as analyzing arguments carefully, seeing others’ points of view, reaching sound conclusions, and the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy

Curriculum-the knowledge, skills, understandings, attitudes, and processes to be written, taught, and tested at the appropriate levels/areas or courses

Written Curriculum - refers to the standards, goals, and objectives that students are to achieve and teachers are to teach
Taught Curriculum - refers to the methods of delivery (by teachers) of the written curriculum
Assessed Curriculum - refers to the portion of the curriculum that is assessed (both formally and informally) to evaluate student mastery of the written curriculum
Backloaded Curriculum - refers to alignment of the taught curriculum to established test objectives
Frontloaded Curriculum - refers to the process of aligning the tested curriculum content with the written curriculum

Data-driven Instruction - the use of student achievement data and other learning data to guide instruction, set goals, and monitor curriculum and programs

Depth and Complexity Model – refers to an instructional model embraced by Texas which advances the premise that instruction and assessment need to span the levels of both depth and complexity.

Depth - refers to exploration of content across the cognitive levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy
Complexity – refers to exploration of content by going past facts and topics to develop concepts, generalizations, principles, and theories

Differentiated Instruction - responding to the needs of all learners by focusing on processes and procedures that ensure effective learning for varied individuals (Tomlinson, McTighe, 2006)

Guiding (Essential) Questions - open-ended, thought-provoking questions that probe the factual and conceptual levels of understanding (Erickson, 2002)

Pacing - the rate at which bundled TEKS should be taught

Graduate Portrait - the Northwest ISD graduate expectation which lists the standards that students should know and be able to do prior to graduation

Scope and Sequence - objectives students are supposed to learn (scope) and the order in which they are to be taught (sequence)

Standards – The student expectations that are determined by the TEKS.

Readiness Standards – essential skills necessary for success in the current grade level as well as the following grade level
Supporting Standards – skills that support readiness standards

Structure of Knowledge - a schema (visual or verbal) that specifies a cognitive hierarchy and relationship between facts, topics, concepts, generalizations and principles, and theories (Erickson, 2002)

Concept - refers to a mental construct that frames a set of examples sharing common attributes that are timeless, universal, and abstract (Erickson, 2001)

Generalization - refers to the enduring understandings or "big ideas" that synthesize facts and summarize learning (Erickson, 2001)

TEKS - Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, the state-mandated curriculum expectations for all students in every state-approved course of study

Thinking Maps - eight fundamental thinking skills defined and animated by maps designed for a common visual language for thinking and learning

Section 7: Bibliography

Ainsworth, Larry. (2010). Rigorous curriculum design: How to create curricular units of study that align standards, instruction, and assessment. Englewood, CO: Leadership and Learning Center

Anderson, L.W., & Krathwohl, D.R. (Eds.). (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives. New York: Longman.

Bloom, B, Mesia, B., and Krathwohl, D. (1964). Taxonomy of educational objectives. New York: David McKay.

Chappuis, S., Stiggins, R., Arter, J., & Chappuis, J., (2005). Assessment for learning: An action guide for school leaders. Portland, OR: Assessment Training Institute.

Dillar, D. (2003). Literacy work stations: Making centers work. Markham, Ontario: Pembroke.

Downey, C.J., Steffy, B.E., English, F.W., Frase, L.E., & Poston, Jr., W.K., (2004). The three-minute classroom walk-through: Changing school supervisory practice one teacher at a time. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

DuFour, R., Eaker, R., & DuFour, R. (Eds.), (2005). On common ground: The power of professional learning communities. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.

English, F. W., (2000). Deciding what to teach and test: Developing, aligning, and auditing curriculum. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

English, F. W., & Steffy, B. (2002). Deep curriculum alignment. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow.

Erickson, L. (2001). Stirring the head, heart, and soul: Redefining curriculum and instruction. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Erickson, L. (2002). Concept-based curriculum and instruction: Teaching beyond the facts. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. New York, NY: Basic Books.

Jensen, E. (1997). Brain compatible strategies. Del Mar, CA: Turning Point. Jensen, E. (1998). Teaching with the brain in mind. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Lazear, D. (1998). The rubrics way: Using MI to assess understanding. Tucson, AR: Zephyr Press.

Lazear, D. (1999). Multiple intelligence approaches to assessment: Solving the assessment conundrum. Tucson, AR: Zephyr Press.

Marzano, R., Pickering, J., & Pollock, J. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Researched-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

National Staff Development Council, (2001). Standards for staff development –revised. Oxford, OH: National Staff Development Council.

Roy, P. & Hord, S., (Project Directors), (2003). Moving the NSDC’s staff development standards into practice: Innovation configurations. Oxford, OH: National Staff Development Council.

Schlechty, P. (1997). Inventing better schools: An action plan for educational reform. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Schlechty, P. (2001). Shaking up the schoolhouse: How to support and sustain educational innovation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Schlechty, P. (2002). Working on the work: An action plan for teachers, principals, and superintendents. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Schlechty, P. (2005). Creating great schools: Six critical systems at the heart of educational innovation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Silver, H.F., Strong, R.W., & Perini, M.J. (2000). So each may learn: Integrating learning styles and multiple intelligences. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Tomlinson, C. (2003) Fulfilling the promise of the differentiated classroom: Strategies and tools for responsive teaching. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Tomlinson, C. (1999). The differentiated classroom: responding to the needs of all learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Tomlinson, C., & Eidson, C. (2003). Differentiation in practice: A resource guide for differentiating curriculum, Grades K-5. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Tomlinson, C., & Eidson, C. (2003). Differentiation in practice: A resource guide for differentiating curriculum, Grades 5-9. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Tomlinson, C., & Eidson, C. (2005). Differentiation in practice: A resource guide for differentiating curriculum, Grades 9-12. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Tomlinson, C., & McTighe, J. (2006). Integrating differentiated instruction & understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Vaughn, S. & Linan-Thompson, S. (2004). Research-based methods of reading instruction: Grades K-3. . Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (1998). Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

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