TEACHERS' MESSAGES 2009
TEACHERS' MESSAGES 2009OCTOBER 8, 2009 - Teachers' Biweekly Messages
Did you know that North Carolina Department of Public Instruction staff received input from more than 10,000 teachers and others about the new Essential Standards recently adopted by the State Board of Education? The standards - in English II, Mathematics, Information and Technology Skills, and the Occupational Course of Study - are better standards because of your participation in the process. So as we embark on another round of essential standards development, please continue participating and watch your messages from me and Academic Services for new ways to link in. The development of new Essential Standards is all about having standards that help teachers focus on what matters most in the curriculum and that will move students to learn more. Stay up to date on this project - also known as ACRE (Accountability and Curriculum Reform Effort) at www.ncpublicschools.org/acre.
Regards,
June Atkinson
In this Biweekly Teachers' Message:
State Board Meeting Highlights
At last week's Board meeting, members approved Honors Course policy revisions, considerations for English I being taken at the middle school level, a Supplemental Educational Services Evaluation Policy, the 2009 Textbook Adoption and Textbook Commission Report, and changes to the 2008-09 ABCs/AYP results. Among the agenda items discussed were the state's proposed new accountability model, spring 2009 results for the American Diploma Project Algebra II assessment, and the North Carolina Virtual Public School Spring 2009 Evaluation Report. Highlights of the Board's October meeting will be posted online later this afternoon at www.ncpublicschools.org/stateboard/highlights .
ACRE Update
Following is an update on North Carolina's work on the ACRE project - the statewide revision of standards, assessments and the accountability system.
In September, the State Board of Education approved the Essential Standards for Math, English II, Information and Technology Skills and some of the Occupational Course of Study courses.
Last July, writing teams, which include LEA representatives from across the state, began to draft the Essential Standards for English Language Arts, Social Studies, Foreign Languages, the Arts and Health. The drafts will be completed in May 2010.
Cross-agency workgroups have been designing strategies for inclusion of authentic tasks in summative assessments.
An agency workgroup is designing and gathering feedback on a proposed new accountability system built on a robust K-12 growth model. Beyond focusing the standard course of study on Essential Standards and revising high-stakes assessments, the NCDPI is designing professional development and teacher tools for the new standards that will:
- outline what each standard means a child will know and be able to do and;
- provide teachers with tools to diagnose student need and use formative assessment practices and data to meet individual students' needs.
To view the approved Essential Standards and other ACRE related information, visit http://www.ncpublicschools.org/acre/standards/ . For more information, please contact NCDPI Deputy Chief Academic Officer Angela Quick at aquick@dpi.state.nc.us.
Madison County Elementary School Receives Blue Ribbon Award
Congratulations to Brush Creek Elementary (Madison County Schools) for recently being named a 2009 No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School. Brush Creek Elementary is among 264 public and 50 private schools nationwide being recognized for helping all students achieve at high levels and for making significant progress in closing the achievement gap. School representatives will receive a plaque and a flag during a recognition ceremony scheduled for Nov. 3 in Washington, D.C.
If you'd like to review past Teachers' Biweekly Messages sent to the listserv group, just go online to http://www.ncpublicschools.org/teachersarchive/.