To: 7-12 English Language Arts Teachers

From: Dara Mosher

Instructional Services Specialist

7-12 English Language Arts

Re: 7-12 English Language Arts Courses

September 19, 2007

On Wednesday, September 19^th, representatives from all sites’ 9-12 Honors/AP courses attended an articulation meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the RUSD ELA curriculum pacing guides, to clarify curriculum issues, to identify core materials, and to differentiate instruction at multiple levels. The following is a documentation of the discussion and key points identified. These points apply to all English Language Arts classes, grades 7-12.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

• We are a standards-based district. Standards are the foundation, the basic curriculum which we expect all students to master. When they have mastered them, we expect teachers to move students into more depth and complexity with those standards. If students have not mastered the skills and concepts, teachers should reteach and plan added opportunities for students to achieve mastery.

• We have a CURRICULUM guide, not a pacing guide.

• One year ago, the construction of this guide was begun. Representatives from every site participated in creating a monthly guide that identified a minimal course of study to establish a guaranteed and viable curriculum for RUSD English Language Arts courses and students. This curriculum guide applies to all Introduction to Literature and Composition, World Literature and Composition, American Literature and Composition, and English Literature and Composition or Expository Reading and Writing courses. Differentiation of instruction is specified for Advanced, Honors, SDAIE, and Special Education.

• This is a LIVING document which will continue to evolve and change over time as we see how fast we can/can’t move, if students are meeting standards, etc.

MATERIALS:

• The 7-12 English Language Arts State Approved textbook and materials is Holt Literature and Language Arts; 12^th grade Expository Reading and Writing uses the CSU 12^th Grade Expository Reading and Writing curriculum.

• Teachers are asked to note gaps in the approved material, such as informational material in Holt; any gaps identified will be addressed and supplemental materials identified to meet the needs of the students.

• Teachers will be provided a form to identify gaps, explain how Holt does not meet need, and suggest supplementary material that does so.

• One RUSD and RUSD Board of Education’s goal has been to identify a guaranteed, viable curriculum for all courses district-wide. Other academic subjects also have curriculum guides, pacing guides, and required core texts.

State Academic Program guidelines state:

1. “The school/ district provides standards-aligned English/reading language arts textbooks and instructional materials, documented to be in daily use in all classrooms for all students enrolled in 9^th and 10^th grade English/reading language arts course.”

• All 7-12 grade classes (with the exception of AP) must still follow the RUSD curriculum guide minimum course of study. Texts identified as CORE (bolded selections) are still required. These core texts will allow articulation at a site regarding common best practices, site-based common assessments, and overall student achievement. The curriculum guides are not listed in a required sequence or chronological order. Sites may move required texts around within the month to fit PLC planning and collaboration. Selections should not be moved from one month/quarter to another. The minimal course of study allows for additional selections from Holt or approved grade level novels.

• All plans must reflect explicit standards-based curriculum. Teacher created standards-based novel units must also reflect specified standards for the month.

DIFFERENTIATION:

• Once students demonstrate concrete mastery of the core content and standards/skills and concepts of the core materials/pieces on the curriculum guide, the class may move on to other approved materials or works, including novels.

• Mastery is demonstrated by an individual score of 70% or higher on a Holt or site-based common assessment which is standards-based AND which matches the standards designated to be covered in that month’s part of the pacing guide.

• Classes should not be held back from moving on if 1 or 2 students can not/do not demonstrate mastery. Teachers should differentiate and provide additional support for such students. IF there are more than a few students who do not score at 70%, then teacher should re-teach but can differentiate for other students, adding depth and complexity with the curriculum.

• Teacher’s classes may not be in same place at the same time given the mastery requirement, so teachers must be willing to have classes at different points or completing differentiated assignments.

• The curriculum guide can not be accelerated in any class so that an entire quarter, semester or year is covered in compressed period of time, so that rest of year can be spent on other materials. Compression can be done within the month based on the student’s achievement. Likewise, it is acknowledged that extended time may be required for some students and or units of study. Teachers should pace curriculum to meet students’ needs and to construct a continuous curriculum for students.

• It is acceptable to use the HOLT Progress Assessments or the Section Reviews as a test of mastery so long as they measure the specified standards for that month’s curriculum. Additional questions/assessment may be necessary to explicitly measure all identified standards.

• As a form of differentiation, to aid students both in remediation and acceleration, Independent reading (non Holt-core materials) may be done in class for a minimal amount of time in order to reinforce the standards for that time period. Minimal is defined as a maximum of 30 minutes per week NOT to be done in one class period. An appropriate standards-based assessment of the reading must accompany the independent reading. This assignment should focus on the specified standards for that month, based on the type of reading the student is doing (i.e., response to literature vs. a technical or information text.)

• Pacing guides are MONTHLY to allow teacher/site autonomy and flexibility as much as possible.

• Teachers/teams can determine the ORDER of pieces being taught and instructional strategies which are used. This is not a day by day, teach every piece on guide, only BOLDED pieces/skills and concepts are required. NO instructional strategies are mandated, but teams may choose to identify effective strategies for given pieces/standards. Additional (non-bolded) suggestions for text selections, strategies, activities, or differentiation are not required; they are based on the committees’ recommendations.

• Many standards are recursive, so teachers will address them more than once; students who have demonstrated mastery should be apply the standards with greater depth and complexity.

• A novel may be carried over into another month of standards as long as the standards for that month are also covered. It may be used to reinforce the standards and scaffold for coming pieces and/or standards and skills.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS:

• Holt Rinehart and list of approved supplemental novels and materials (see course descriptions) may not be replaced by an alternate program, such as a purchased grammar or vocabulary program. Again, If a standard is not adequately addressed with Holt materials, the gap will be identified and a recommendation put forth to address the need.

• SUPPLEMENTAL should not SUPPLANT, which would be characterized as on-going, frequent use of non-board approved or non-Holt materials. The practice of using outside materials such newspapers or magazine articles 3 times a week, for example, is not appropriate. An appropriate article which supports/enhances the curriculum is acceptable. An essay from Time magazine, for example, is appropriate if linked to the curriculum and standards. Teachers must be able to justify and explain how a piece is appropriate for the standard.

• GATE money used for supplementary materials also has to be justified to the state as not SUPPLANTING the core material/work.

SUMMER READING FOR HONORS:

• Summer reading needs to be reassessed by looking at what is the purpose of the reading/assignments. It is appropriate to fill in gaps and/or to pre-teach books which must be covered by the class. A number of GATE students who do not take Honors classes say it’s because they don’t want to do all the summer work. Another problem is summer reading work with which nothing was done after school started, except maybe a test. In looking at the programs, parents have stated that some students lost their entire summer due to the workload. Summer reading has also served as a “gatekeeper” preventing students who decide in the fall to take honors from doing so. Also, there was no consistency district-wide with the same classes.

• Dara Mosher will meet with Honors teachers to re-examine this issue.

ACHIEVEMENT:

• Grades should be based on the work done, not on extra credit.

• A RUSD Board goal is to raise GATE student achievement on the CST. Number of students who are scoring advanced needs to increase.

• An additional RUSD Board goal is that all schools meet their AYP’s and API’s.

• California’s standards are among the most rigorous in nation, but at least it is a growth model where we are credited for moving students upward. This is not true of the Federal program which mandates that ALL students become Proficient.

INDEPENDENT READING:

• Independent reading is done outside of class in elementary and middle-schools, so high school students should be expected to do so as well. The challenging issue is time. No one disputes the idea that getting students to read more will help increase their overall achievement with reading.

• Time is available when students finish a test early or when the class has completed guided practice. Students should carry books with them or have access to reading material within the class for this reason. Again, work should be reading-level appropriate, and teachers should hold students accountable. (Students whose reading level is below grade level should be encouraged to finding reading materials at their independent reading level for this purpose. Instructional reading level means that students need teacher assistance to comprehend the text.)

• As a form of differentiation, to aid students both in remediation and acceleration, Independent reading (non Holt-core materials) may be done in class for a minimal amount of time in order to reinforce the standards for that time period. Minimal is defined as a maximum of 30 minutes per week NOT to be done in one class period. An appropriate standards-based assignment must accompany the independent reading. This assignment should focus on the specified standards for that month.