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Dr. Mia Hyde, Director

For more information about CER,

please contact miahyde@comprehensiveeducationalresources.org

What is CER?

Comprehensive Educational Resources (CER) is an educational consortium that currently serves twenty-nine school districts in Northeast Tennessee and across the state. CER is a collaboration between these twenty-nine districts and The Niswonger Foundation that reaches approximately 150,000 students.

Districts in CER

What is the mission of CER?

The mission of CER is to improve student achievement by providing the following key elements: common benchmark assessments, reporting, and pacing guides; data analysis; teacher created resources; and collaboration across our region. CER is governed by the superintendents of each participating district. A steering committee, comprised of one member of each participating district, provides guidance and support. The day-to-day operations are conducted by the director, Dr. Mia Hyde.

Why be part of a consortium?

How are we funded?

• Each participating district contributes $2.00 per student.

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• This covers the operating costs of the consortium and pays the teachers on the teams.

The Power of the Consortium

By using a common benchmark assessment, we were able to obtain consortium pricing by the vendor.

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This consortium pricing substantially reduced the price per student for the assessment.

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We have also obtained consortium pricing for:

• Discovery Education
• School Status
• Renaissance

How are we organized?

Teacher Created Materials

• Approximately two hundred teachers serve on the CER curriculum teams.
• There are curriculum teams for Kindergarten through high school for ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies.
• Teams work together to create and review materials for the consortium.
• These materials are posted on the website throughout the school year.
• Materials are restricted for CER members only. We add members using Google Groups.
• Website: www.comprehensiveeducationalresources.org

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Teacher Created and Peer Reviewed

• At the heart of CER are the teachers! The materials are all teacher created and peer reviewed.
• The Steering Committee created criteria for each material.
• The Steering Committee also created a thorough review process for each material.

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What are the criteria for submitting materials?

• Standard(s) and rationale for alignment to depth and rigor
• Essential question and learning targets in student friendly language
• Step-by-step instructions with suggested time frames
• Variety of teacher questions throughout the lessons
• Formative assessment
• Answer key
• Ideas for differentiation, extension, and supports for struggling learners
• All necessary materials needed. No copyrighted materials used.
• Keep formatting simple. Use Google format (preferred) or Microsoft products.
• OPTIONAL:
• Required background knowledge
• Key terms embedded throughout the lesson
• Bell ringer/Hook
• Closure/Reflection/Wrap-up
• Use of the template

What is the process for reviewing a lesson?

• Ensure the criteria for submission have been met.
• Does it meet the rigor of the standard for the grade level?
• Is the text appropriately complex?
• Where is it on the Instructional Focus Document?
• Are the students carrying the cognitive load?
• Are the materials universally accessed? Do the links work? Are they all open source?
• Is the structure and pacing logical?
• Are the activities worthy of student time?
• Does the assessment measure the learning targets? Is the answer key correct?

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How can you access the materials?

1. Log into your district Google account
2. Be sure to log out of your personal Google accounts
3. Go to: www.ComprehensiveEducationalResources.org
4. Click on: Teachers’ Pages
5. Go to HOME at the top right corner and click on your content area
6. Use the arrow to click on your grade
7. Materials are listed by standard
8. Materials will be added to your Google drive

Common Benchmark Assessments

• After a rigorous vetting process, the Steering Committee selected Mastery View Predictive Assessments (MVPA) as the common benchmark assessment for CER.
• CER received consortium pricing for the assessment.
• Currently, 28 out of 29 districts are using MVPA in some or all areas.
• Many of those districts are using common pacing guides and many of those districts share their benchmark data with the consortium.

Using the Common Benchmark Assessments

• Districts have full decision making on how the benchmark data will be used in their districts and across the consortium.
• Part of our vision is to use various types of data collaboratively to adjust and improve instruction.
• The director can also provide additional support on data analysis at the districts’ request.

Pacing Guides

• In the Spring of each year, teacher teams work together to refine our pacing guides.
• These master teachers seek guidance and feedback from other educators in their district.
• The Pacing Guides are posted on the website for teacher use.
• It is up to each district to decide if the CER Pacing Guides will be used.

Common Formative Assessments

• CER teacher teams created Common Formative Assessments that can be shared through Mastery Connect.
• There are CFAs for grades 3-8 (ELA,math, science, social studies), Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, English 1, English 2, US History, and Biology.
• These are aligned to the Tennessee State Standards.
• Use of the CFAs will be a district decision.

Learning Together

• Learning Together is a regional professional learning day coordinated by the Niswonger Foundation.
• This event is held yearly in October.
• District leaders work together to plan and organize the event.
• The focus is on peer-led professional learning.

Principal Study Council

• The Principal Study Council is a combined effort with the chairs of the regional principal study council and CER.
• We provide peer-led professional learning with TASL credit for principals and assistant principals.
• This group meets throughout the year.

CER Leadership Academy

As part of a year-long program, a select cohort of teacher leaders from across CER districts, led by current principals and district supervisors, take a hands-on approach to learning about the practical aspects of school administration. The goal of the program is to work in a collaborative way to develop potential administrators for each participating district who are ready to face the challenges of school leadership from day one.

Instructional Coach Collaborative

• The CER Instructional Coach Collaborative is designed to engage and support district and school-based instructional coaches.
• This group meets regularly throughout the year to learn coaching strategies, share best practices, and collaborate.

Social Media

• We highlight the work of teachers on our curriculum teams and the leadership academy on Facebook and Instagram.
• Follow us to learn more about CER and stay up to date!

Questions and Feedback

For more information about CER, to ask questions, or provide feedback please contact: miahyde@comprehensiveeducationalresources.org

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