The Cherry Creek School District is committed to Inclusive Excellence and College and Career Readiness for every student and embrace the implementation of Professional Learning Communities to achieve these goals.
The Cherry Creek School District has adopted the PLC model of continuous improvements that reflects an adaptive approach to the shift required to meet our district goals. This continuum is intended to reflect both the technical and adaptive changes that shift a school s culture to one of collaboration that ensures high levels of learning for every student. The Professional Learning Community (PLC) model is an ongoing process in which educators work collaboratively in recurring cycles of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the learners they serve. Becoming a Professional Learning Community requires three primary elements: Focus on Learning Collaborative Culture Results Orientation Why this Continuum? This continuum is not necessarily intended to be scored, but to reflect a strengths-based approach to the work of becoming a Professional Learning Community. This continuum helps schools assess their current state and growth areas as a professional learning community (PLC) by reflecting on different criteria related to specific characteristics and processes of PLCs. The six sections of the continuum represent both our district goals and the primary elements of a PLC. For each of the sections, a number of key elements are mapped out horizontally, showing the development of each through three phases, highlighted at the top of the three columns. The phases range from what might be happening when you are starting on the journey to becoming a PLC to when the PLC is self-sustaining. The phases are designed to be cumulative, elements which build upon the previous column as you move to the right. The indicators are assets-based in nature and reflect a growing shift in behaviors, rather than a more traditional approach to rubrics that are generally designed to indicate on the left what behaviors are NOT wanted. As a school works towards adopting the behaviors outlined in the phrases, changes in school culture will become evident. These changes will lead to a responsive school system that allows the adults to adapt behaviors, structures, and systems to meet the evolving learning needs of students so that every student will be an engaged learner that is prepared for a successful future. How Might you Use the Continuum? Individual staff members complete the continuum and give it to a designated person or team who collate(s) responses for a discussion and dialogue. Leadership teams complete the continuum together to determine next steps, learning needs, goals, and celebrations. Small groups complete the continuum together and then compare, summarize, reflect upon and discuss their responses. Teams or guiding coalitions might highlight the indicators in a way that designates them as: observable/non-observable, as ones that produce tangible evidence, as best addressed at the team or school level, or any other sorting that might be helpful for goal setting. Highlight the areas that are next steps and discuss key action steps that will move the school from current to desired state. Definitions of key terms used throughout the continuum are found at the end of this document, as well as specific resources that enrich the conversation regarding the continuum. 1
Table of Contents Collective Commitment to Inclusive Excellence......pg.3 Racial Consciousness Development Systems and Structures Cultural Competence Essential Foundations of a Professional Learning Community...pg.4 The Four Pillars of a PLC Developing a Healthy School Culture Collaborative Processes and Structures Shared Leadership...pg.5 Guiding Coalition Teacher Leadership Focus on Learning...pg.6 Culturally Responsive Education Focusing on What Students Need to Know Development of Common Assessments Developing an Intervention and Enrichment System Collaborative Use of Data...pg.7 Engaging Students in Data Reflection and Use Creating a Data Picture of our School Examining and Discussing Data to Make Informed Decisions Collaborative Professional Learning...pg. 8 Professional Learning Aligned to Student Needs Implementing a Cycle of Continuous Improvement Additional Resources...pg. 9 2
Collective Commitment to Inclusive Excellence Learning for every student is our core purpose and there is unwavering belief that EVERY student will achieve success. There is a focused attention on historically underrepresented and underserved student populations. Initiating Our Work Development of knowledge and experimenting with ideas Implementing Our Learning Applying knowledge and building skills and aspirations Sustaining Our Commitment Internalizing beliefs and shifting behaviors to yield positive outcomes Racial Consciousness Development Developing consciousness around our individual and collective racial identities Our Equity team has been established and meets regularly as we begin to build a shared knowledge around the impact of race on education through common learning experiences including the following: Beyond Diversity Engaging in conversations about race Examining personal racial identity Intentional opportunities for us to examine the impact of racial and cultural biases within the school and classroom setting are initiated and facilitated by administrators and our equity team. We are developing racial consciousness around individual and collective racial identities to gain a better understanding of the perceptions, beliefs and behaviors impacting our students experience. Our equity team facilitates continuous professional learning experiences for the staff and routinely uses the protocol for Courageous Conversations to engage, sustain, and deepen meaningful conversations about the impact of race and culture on students learning experiences. Racial consciousness is internalized and integrated into all interactions (staff, students, parents, community). Everything we do is filtered through a lens of racial consciousness. Systems and Structures Which ones are barriers to equal access? Which ones support equitable access? We work to define high levels of learning for every student in our building based on prioritized standards. We are identifying educational inequities that exist within our school based on our universal understanding of the impact of race and culture. We interrupt statements or behaviors that are not aligned to the collective belief that every student is capable of high levels of learning. Using an understanding of our own biases and instructional system biases, we interrupt inequities that exist in our school and/or collaborative team structures and practices and redesign these structures and practices to eliminate barriers to opportunity. The academic achievement of every student is consistently increasing while the predictability of disproportionalities in achievement by race is being eliminated. We create school or collaborative team structures, procedures, and practices to eliminate educational inequities so that high levels of learning for every student is the norm across our school. Cultural Competence We understand cultural identity as an asset and leverage cultural identity to affirm students academic identities We begin to examine the cultural groups to which we belong and the cultural norms of the schools and their impact on different cultures. We value diversity by inviting student, teacher, and community voices representing different cultural perspectives to the table. We can describe how learned expectations are culturally based and may lead to biases and misjudgments about student achievement and behavior. We identify and value the assets of each cultural group that exists within our school. We reflect and examine how interactions, instructional practices and decisions are influenced by our own cultural lens and incorporate multiple perspectives to adjust our behavior. We leverage the cultural identities of every group to transform the culture of our school and empower our students from diverse racial, cultural, and social class groups. 3
Essential Foundations of a PLC We have shared beliefs of why we exist and a commitment to the kind of school we are trying to create. Initiating Our Work Development of knowledge and experimenting with ideas Implementing Our Learning Applying knowledge and building skills and aspirations Sustaining Our Commitment Internalizing beliefs and shifting behaviors to yield positive outcomes The Four Pillars of a PLC Mission : Why do we exist? Vision : What are we trying to become? Values : How must we behave to achieve our vision? Goals : How will we mark our progress? What will be our priorities? We are developing an understanding of the role the four pillars play in continuous improvement by exploring or revisiting our mission, vision, values, and goals. We have begun to engage our school community in conversations and feedback about our mission, vision, values, and goals. Our mission, vision, values and goals are clear, concise, and publicly communicate our commitment to ensuring academic achievement for every student and eliminating the predictability of disproportionalities in achievement by race. We have a realistic picture, informed by data, of where we are in relation to our desired mission, vision, values, and goals and there is a desire to examine and change our collective practices. Our mission, vision, values and goals are the guide by which we make collective decisions and establish priorities. We have evidence showing our growth in becoming the school we describe in our mission, vision, values and goals. Developing a Healthy School Culture A school s culture has more influence on life and learning in the schoolhouse than any other factor We explore what a healthy school culture looks like and identify behaviors that would create or enhance that culture. We evaluate our current culture and develop a framework to describe our commitments and expectations for our individual and collective behaviors in order to maintain a healthy school culture of Inclusive Excellence. The elements of a healthy school culture are evident in our collective and individual behaviors and are continuously examined and changed when they are not consistent with our definition of a healthy school culture. Collaborative Processes and Structures Content-alike and singleton teachers are organized into meaningful collaborative teams and are provided a weekly time within the contract day to collaborate We collaboratively plan, begin to share personal practices and exchange ideas about how to improve our teaching for every student. Collaborative teams are provided protected time and support to learn about processes and structures that develop effective collaboration and Teacher collaboration becomes more targeted around answering the Four PLC Questions in service to student learning with the goal of high-levels of learning for every student. Collaborative teams intentionally select or adapt processes and structures that develop trust and lead to effective collaboration. Collaborative teams engage in an on-going process of recurring cycles of collective inquiry driven by the moral imperative to eliminate disproportionalities in achievement by race, gender, socioeconomic status, and/or language, while providing engaging, rigorous learning experiences for every student. High levels of trust within our collaborative teams allow us to reflect on, evaluate, and adjust our processes and structures to ensure that collaboration results in a shift in practice and improved outcomes for every student. 4
trust and begin to experiment with a variety of collaborative tools. Shared Leadership A shared leadership approach is the key to the development and progress of a school s PLC efforts. Key Action Steps for School Administrators Communicate the why behind the Professional Learning Community process Model collaboration and transparency about how your own collaborative efforts have led to growth Deepen your own understanding of how schools sustain efforts in the ongoing Professional Learning Community process Engage in and encourage reflection through listening, questioning and seeking creative solutions Guide collaborative teams toward self-governance through encouragement, coaching, and feedback Demonstrate reciprocal accountability by allocating and managing resources to support teacher collaboration, data use, and instructional planning Develop teacher leaders to support a distributive model of leadership Celebrate small successes intentionally and often Initiating Our Work Development of knowledge and experimenting with ideas Implementing Our Learning Applying knowledge and building skills and aspirations Sustaining Our Commitment Internalizing beliefs and shifting behaviors to yield positive outcomes Guiding Coalition A core team of leaders supports the work of becoming a PLC. We are introduced to the concept and purpose of a guiding coalition and teacher leaders who equitably represent the makeup of our staff are identified through a clear, transparent process. Our guiding coalition develops a specific and clear purpose statement and a direction for their work is shared with and supported by our staff. The guiding coalition deepens their own understandings of the PLC process and the school s strengths and next steps. The guiding coalition examines school data, policies, practices and programs through an equity lens for alignment to vision, mission, values and goals and advocate for implementation of decisions they have made on behalf of this alignment. We look to and value the leadership of the guiding coalition as they determine priorities and make decisions. Our guiding coalition leads and facilitates our staff in implementing new policies, practices and programs that improve student learning outcomes for every student, with specific attention to eliminating the predictability of achievement by race. Teacher Leadership The PLC process is dependent upon each teacher seeing themselves as a leader in the work. Collaborative team leaders/facilitators are identified and receive training in facilitation. We meet as a group to support each other's facilitation efforts, identify and address challenges and successes in collaboration. A variety of teacher leadership needs emerge from our school data sources that impact teaching and learning. Teachers seek roles based on their strengths and successes. Teacher leadership roles are fluid, flexible and evolve based on evidence of teaching and learning needs and adjustments are made to increase the impact of our leadership on students. Teacher leaders advocate for and receive support to be successful in teacher leadership roles. 5
Focus on Learning The staff is committed to the idea that learning, not teaching, is the fundamental purpose of the school. Initiating Our Work Development of knowledge and experimenting with ideas Implementing Our Learning Applying knowledge and building skills and aspirations Sustaining Our Commitment Internalizing beliefs and shifting behaviors to yield positive outcomes Culturally Responsive Education CRE is where an equity mindset meets pedagogy We have been introduced to the Big Six Themes of Culturally Responsive Education (CRE) and have a working definition of CRE in practice. We see the Big Six Themes of CRE not as a checklist of strategies, but as a framework for thinking about designing learning experiences for students. The Big Six Themes of Culturally Responsive Education are evident throughout our school s approach to curriculum, instruction, pedagogy, behavioral supports, relationships and interactions. Focusing on What Students Need to Know What do we expect students to learn? Collaborative teams work to unwrap the standards and understand the essential skills and knowledge required of their grade level priority standards. Collaborative teams agree on common pacing of instruction and assessments. Collaborative teams are conscious of race, culture, biases, and multiple perspectives when planning units of instruction and common learning experiences. Collaborative teams work to align their instruction to the priority standards and agree to develop and teach common instructional units that include essential outcomes, learning targets, assessment criteria, and performance tasks. Collaborative teams ensure that every student will have access to rigorous learning and have planned scaffolds for students who will need support. Collaborative teams frequently monitor the rigor and relevance of student work and adjust curriculum, pacing, and teaching based on the information they receive from formative assessment data. Development of Common Assessments How will we know that they ve learned it? Collaborative teams are aware of the purpose of common assessments as a tool to measure both student and teacher strengths and needs. Collaborative teams are clear on the success criteria they will use to assess student work. Collaborative teams create common assessments based on agreed upon priority standards, specific learning targets and depth of knowledge and use the assessments in a formative way throughout a unit of instruction. Collaborative teams apply the agreed upon success criteria to develop inter-rater reliability in looking at student work. As part of the collaborative team planning process, teams incorporate a variety of assessments into each unit plan. These include pre-assessments, formative classroom assessments, common formative assessments and common summative assessments. Common assessments mirror the rigor and depth of knowledge of the instruction. Developing an Intervention and Enrichment System What we will do when students don t learn what we ve taught? What will we do when students have learned it or if they already know At the school level, we are examining available resources and investigating ways to provide opportunities for reteaching and enrichment inside the school day. We have a common understanding of different levels of support and how each level is intended to provide access to universal, grade level instruction. We demonstrate a commitment to learning by using scheduling structures at the team or school level that increase or flex the amount of time and support needed to ensure every student will learn. Teachers make adjustments in their universal instruction as a proactive approach to enrich and support engaging, culturally relevant learning experiences. Based on common formative assessments, collaborative teams make plans to address the learning needs of students at each of the multiple levels, understanding that All staff (including counselors, deans, etc.) are used strategically in the intervention and enrichment process to support student academic and social emotional success. Collaborative teams frequently review the cultural and racial makeup of both intervention and enrichment opportunities to recognize and address disparities that may exist. Levels of support are frequently reviewed by the collaborative team using on-going common formative 6
it? Collaborative teams collectively identify students who need intervention or enrichment. students may require simultaneous support at multiple levels. assessments so that every student, regardless of proficiency level, has opportunities to receive both enrichment and intervention, when needed. Collaborative Use of Data The staff is committed to achieving desired results and uses collective evidence to gauge efforts. Initiating Our Work Development of knowledge and experimenting with ideas Implementing Our Learning Applying knowledge and building skills and aspirations Sustaining Our Commitment Internalizing beliefs and shifting behaviors to yield positive outcomes Engaging Students in Data Reflection and Use Students partner with teachers as they create and monitor their own learning goals Learning targets and success criteria are shared and reviewed with students. We share with students how they are doing in relationship to the goals we have set for them. We provide targeted feedback to students about where they are in relationship to the learning targets and success criteria so they can reflect on their learning and establish their own goals. Our students seek frequent opportunities to engage in data reflection and advocate for learning experiences that allow them to reach their targeted goals. Creating a Data Picture of our School Multiple data sources are used to understand our current reality in relationship to the vision of our school Summative achievement data along with demographic data are used to provide a data picture of student learning and are examined as a staff. Teachers are provided with data that has been organized meaningfully and allows for disaggregation for different groups. We seek data points, in addition to summative achievement and demographic data, that impact student learning in order to expand our data picture. Collaborative teams display data based on common assessments that are arranged by learning target, by teacher, and by student to create a fluid, internal data picture of student learning and growth. We generate our own collaborative inquiry questions related to areas where we could increase the level of success for every student and we seek data that would offer multiple perspectives to our inquiry. Data pictures are used to reflect on student learning as well as instructional practices so that learning experiences are frequently adjusted to ensure student success. Examining and Discussing Data To Make Informed decisions Data, rather than intentions, are used to adjust instruction and Time is devoted at the beginning of the school year in which we examine recent school-wide data. Individuals write goals based on the school s data picture and actions We have received training, practice with protocols and learning experiences that support our ability to analyze and use data in the collaborative process. Collaborative teams write goals based on the school s data and create an action plan for achieving those goals. There are specific processes and times that we come together to engage in vertical data dialogues and the resulting decisions and actions are clearly articulated. Collaborative teams use evidence of student learning to monitor goals and adjust collective and individual 7
learning support are primarily individually implemented. practices resulting in increased learning for every student. Collaborative Professional Learning PLCs operate under the assumption that the key to improved learning for students is in continuous, job embedded learning for the educators. Initiating Our Work Development of knowledge and experimenting with ideas Implementing Our Learning Applying knowledge and building skills and aspirations Sustaining Our Commitment Internalizing beliefs and shifting behaviors to yield positive outcomes Professional Learning Aligned to Student Needs Teachers engage in job-embedded learning experiences based on their student learning needs. For every initiative or school improvement goal we have identified professional learning as part of the implementation process. Collaborative teams have identified goals for their own learning that align to their student learning goals. Professional learning opportunities are embedded into the daily work of teachers and connected to school goals. They include a focus on equitable practices for students. Collaborative teams use the data generated from their common assessments to identify their own learning needs and advocate for the professional learning they need to better reach every student, with intention toward equitable practices for every student. Collaborative learning is central to the professional learning we experience in our school. We view ourselves as a community of learners committed to engaging in on-going cycles of inquiry to promote deep team learning in order to improve classroom practices. Schools assess the effectiveness of their professional learning efforts on the basis of student learning results, rather than intentions, and use that information to promote continuous improvement. 8
Implementing a Cycle of Continuous Improvement Teachers engage in continuous reflection and seek to ensure that student learning needs are met. We are establishing a common definition of best practices by discussing our practice and we are excited to share and think through new ideas within our collaborative team. We have plans for implementing our new learning that take the change process into account. We share our beliefs about student learning and instruction to build a shared knowledge regarding instructional practice. We have identified resources available to support the individual planning, reflection, coaching, and feedback of our agreed-upon implementation plan, which includes the support of lead teachers, coaches, and/or peers. We conduct discussions among collaborative team members regarding implementation challenges associated with new practices. Collaborative teams collectively and continuously refine practices and implement new practices to improve student learning experiences and collect data on the effectiveness of those practices. We engage in on-going reflection to analyze the characteristics and practices that are most successful in helping students achieve at high levels and we make a collective commitment to employ those practices and characteristics. We have established indicators to monitor our success and assess our progress. We use calibration tools to make sure that we are implementing new practices in an aligned way. Based on student learning data, we can describe the link between our practice and our student results and compare the effectiveness of our practices and make adjustments to our individual and collective practice to improve student learning. Observations are a school-wide scheduled event that highlight a specific practice or idea. We observe each other s teaching, share lessons and resources, and give and receive feedback that promote high levels of learning for every student. We seek opportunities to participate in cyclical and reciprocal peer observations across departments and/or our school to enable a wider exchange of practice to enhance the quality of our teaching and increase student learning. Peer observations are seen as a vehicle for professional growth. Additional Resources Guiding Questions for Reflection and Discussion These questions are not a definitive list, but rather a starting place for considering where you are in the shift required to become a Professional Learning Community. What are some general takeaways that surfaced? Where have we seen the most growth? Why might that be? How can we celebrate the small wins that surfaced as we reflect on our PLC journey? Who might we share this data with and how? Where have we noticed that progress has slowed? What might be hindering the progress in that area? Are there voices missing from this conversation about the PLC work at our school? What are some possible next steps for our staff? Collaborative teams? Administration? What supports and resources do we need to move forward? Are there any discrepancies between the various perspectives? If so, why might that be? If not, what might have contributed to the consistency in perspective? 9
The Four PLC Questions These questions come from the work of Dr. Richard DuFour. What do we want students to learn? How will we know if they have learned? What will we do if they don t learn? What will we do if they already know it? (essential standards) (team-developed common assessments) ( systematic interventions) ( extended learning) The Collaborative Team Cycle This cycle was designed to create a visual representation of the work of a collaborative team. It is not all inclusive but is intended to support teams in crafting their approach to this work. Click here to view the cycle The Six Big Themes of Culturally Responsive Education These themes are based on the work and research of Dr. Yemi Stembridge. Relationships Cultural Identity Asset-Focused Factors Vulnerability Engagement Rigor Click here to view a resource that outlines The Big Six Themes. Key Internet Sites www.allthingsplc.info http://www.authenticplcs.com Key Terms Used Throughout the Continuum The Professional Learning Community model is an ongoing process in which educators work collaboratively in recurring cycles of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the learners they serve. Becoming a Professional Learning Community requires three primary elements: Focus on Learning Collaborative Culture Results Orientation Collaborative Teams are the engines of the Professional Learning Community. Collaborative teams are mutually accountable for shared student learning goals and work interdependently to analyze and improve their classroom practice. Collaborative teams engage in an ongoing cycle of questions and reflection that promote deep team learning and higher levels of student achievement. A high-performing collaborative team develops high levels of trust, develops shared, meaningful goals, is 10
interdependent and mutually accountable to one another, and exhibits a high level of autonomy in improving their practice to achieve improved results for students. Guiding Coalition A core team of leaders who supports the school s work of becoming a PLC. The guiding coalition meets to learn, discuss, and make guidance and recommendations for changes to school s culture and structures to better support student learning. The guiding coalition can be made up of team facilitators, team members, etc., and should represent different perspectives in the school. Inclusive Excellence in the Cherry Creek School District is about promoting the democratic principles of the United States by providing every student, regardless of race, cultural background, gender, ethnicity, nationality, socioeconomic status, or religion, with equitable and challenging learning experiences. Click here for the Inclusive Excellence Adaptive Framework. 11