In 1995, Seattle
Public Schools responded to House Bill 1209 by creating Curriculum
Frameworks in reading, writing and mathematics. These documents
provided standards for student achievement in grade bands of K-2,
3-5, 6-8 and 10-12 in mathematics, and in K-3, 4-5, 6-8, 9-12 bands
for writing and reading. Instructional examples and assessment
strategies were included in these documents. In September 1998 a
correlation guide was written for K-5 reading and writing that
helped teachers match the district's Curriculum Frameworks with the
state Essential Academic Learning Requirements.
To operationalize
Seattle Schools' vision statement of a world class, student-focused
learning system, in 1998 the School Board directed the development
of academic standards with grade level benchmarks for each grade,
K-10. Under the guidance of Dr. Edie Holcomb, Director of Standards
and Assessment, the work began in December, 1998 and continued
through May, 1999.
Three teachers from
each elementary and middle school participated in a series of work
sessions. Of the three teachers representing each school, two were
regular education teachers and the third was either a special
education teacher, a bilingual teacher or a Title I specialist.
They began by comparing the state Essential Academic Learning
Requirements (EALRs) with district Curriculum Frameworks and
current instructional practices. Grade level benchmarks were
developed for further review by staff at each school.
Two lively sessions
were spent editing and discussing the benchmarks in grade
levelgroups. An additional session was spent aligning the
benchmarks with curriculum materials in all four areas of reading,
writing, math and communication. In the spring, one session was
spent reviewing our district Classroom-Based Assessments in
mathematics. Each participant was sent back to their school with a
math assessment to pilot. District anchor papers were chosen from
this pilot. Another session was devoted to looking at the
Classroom-Based Assessments in reading and writing. Again, these
assessments were sent back to schools to be piloted with anchor
papers chosen from classrooms across the district.
Participants from all
schools also had an opportunity to look at and provide feedback
regarding parent documents, record keeping materials and the web
site.
High school teachers
in Language Arts and Mathematics departments worked with curriculum
consultants to study the state Essential Academic Learning
Requirements, and the Washington Assessment of Student Learning,
and to identify grade level benchmarks for the 9th and
10th grade. During the implementation of our
standards-based learning system in 1999-2000 and 2000-2001, common
course outlines and common assessments will be developed at these
grade levels.
Between February and
June of 1999, district staff members made numerous community
presentations about the development of the standards and shared
early drafts. The Academic Standards were introduced to the School
Board on June 2, 1999 and copies were available for anyone
interested in reviewing them. They were official adopted on June
16, 1999.
During the fall of
1999, regional forums for parents and community members were held
throughout the city. Parent booklets describing the standards were
distributed in November.
The work is continuing
with Standards Network meetings that will be held four times over
the course of the 1999-2000 school year. Representatives from each
school are collaborating as they identify and share successful
implementation strategies and help each other address the
challenges of any new focus in the instructional process. Standards
and grade level benchmarks in Science are the next phase of
development.
