NO CREDIT GRANTED

F    =    64 and below (0.0)

I     =    Incomplete                                             

Culminating Project

Students must complete a project in one or more areas of concentrated study during their junior year of high school. The purpose, procedures and requirements of the completion project are detailed in the Completion Project Handbook that is included in this strategic plan. 

Mastery of the Academic Standards

Each student must demonstrate mastery of the academic standards either on the Pennsylvania State System of Assessment (PSSA) or through an alternate measure as outlined in the strategic plan. The state assessment shall be administered during the junior year of high school and a proficient score, as determined by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), is required to demonstrate mastery. If a student does not demonstrate mastery on the PSSA, the test may be retaken during the senior year.  Otherwise, students who have not performed proficiently on the PSSA must demonstrate mastery of educational standards through an alternative assessment or a combination of indicators identified in the graduation matrix detailed below.

Children with Disabilities

Children with disabilities who satisfactorily complete a special education program identified in an Individualized Education Plan under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act shall be granted and issued a regular high school diploma by the school district.

Requirements for Granting of Diplomas

The Dallas School District recognizes that each graduating senior should meet the requirements as set forth in Chapter 4 of the School Code.  Further, the district affirms that its curriculum and expectations fully comply with, and in many cases exceed state requirements.  As such, it is the philosophy of the Dallas School District that no child be judged on a single measure for graduation or the granting of a diploma.  To that end, the strategic planning committee has created the weighted matrix that appears in Appendix J to measure a student’s proficiency in meeting curricular standards.

Item 5.  District Assessment Plan

The Dallas School District has developed a comprehensive assessment plan that is represented in Figure 1.  The six major components of the plan are: 1) clear and appropriate targets, 2) verification of student achievement, 3) methods and measures to assess teaching and learning, 4) expanded opportunities for student learning, 5) continuous improvement, and 6) clear and effective communication. 

Setting clear and appropriate targets involved taking the PA Academic Standards and backmapping from the benchmark grade levels to identify K-12 content standards (see Appendix A).  The grade level content standards were reviewed and analyzed to determine subject area learning goals.  Subject area learning goals are the key concepts and skills that students should know or be able to perform in a particular field of study before graduation.

As per Chapter 4 requirements, the district has a procedure to verify student mastery of the PA Academic Standards.  These include the graduation project described in Item 4 of this document and the monitoring of student proficiency of standards described in this section. 

The methods and measures that will be used to monitor student proficiency have been aligned to the PA Standards and combine commercial, state, and district-developed assessment tools and strategies.

For students having difficulty achieving proficiency on the standards, the district provides expanded learning opportunities.  These various opportunities are delineated in Item 11 of this strategic plan. 

The data from the commercial, state, and district-developed assessments are utilized to guide and to improve student achievement.  Continuous monitoring of improvement occurs at all levels including the district, the building, and the individual student.

Figure 1: Graphic Depiction of the District’s Assessment Plan

Finally, the assessment plan includes clear and effective communication to all district stakeholders.   Such communication ensures that all constituent audiences understand the various components of this plan and can partner with the district in efforts to help all children become successful learners.  The specifics of this information dissemination are discussed at the end of this section of the strategic plan. 

The assessment distribution plan for these content areas is shown in Table Two.  This graphic delineates the measures being used by the Dallas School District to determine the degree to which students are progressing in the district curriculum comprised of the Pennsylvania Academic Standards and locally identified content based on national standards.  To ensure students have multiple opportunities to demonstrate proficiency level in the standards and to increase the validity and reliability of district assessment, many evaluative tools have been identified.  The district will use commercial products, the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA), and locally developed assessments.  The results from this three-pronged data collection will be triangulated and used to design and revise curriculum, provide formative results that can direct instruction in the classroom, give information to parents, set learning goals, and identify students who need additional learning opportunities or assistance.  Appropriate assessment accommodations will be provided for students at every grade level as needed. 

A narrative has been provided to describe the various evaluative tools in Table Two.  The narrative is arranged by organizational level.  Language Arts Portfolios (LAPs) will be maintained during a student's K-12 career.  Items placed in the portfolio will be kept from grades K-3; 4-5; 6-8; and 9-11.  At the end of each of these organizational structures, teachers will send materials home and complete a summary report based on student performance and grade level reports provided by teachers at prior grades.   The report will be passed with the child to the next grade level (i.e., third grade teachers will submit their summary report to be included with the new portfolio begun at fourth grade; fifth grade teachers will submit their summary report to be included in the new portfolio begun at sixth grade, etc.).  Summary reports will include checklists that reflect students' progress in achieving curricular standards.  Learning strengths and challenges will also be noted.  Information required for LAPs has been listed in this item, but teachers should routinely include other documentation of a student's progress in achieving standards. 

The following assessments will be used at the primary grade levels in the Dallas School District to monitor student progress through the third grade.  Students not demonstrating proficiency on the standards at the end of grade two will be identified for extra assistance throughout the third grade.  This support can include before and/or after school tutoring, referral to the Instructional Support Team, reading buddies, volunteer mentors from the high school and community, specialized software programs, summer school and/or Title I Services.  At the end of third grade, students still demonstrating basic or below basic levels of achievement will receive a grade level learning plan (see Appendix C).   This plan will utilize all assessment data to diagnose the specific skills and knowledge necessary to help the child be successful.  Additional supports such as those identified in the remediation plan in Item 6 of this document will be utilized to provide all students with equal opportunities to succeed in the K-12 curriculum.

Commercial Products

Standardized Testing: Terra Nova, published by CTB McGraw Hill, has been selected as a district-wide evaluation tool because it provides measures of both the Pennsylvania Academic Standards and National Content Standards.  In grades where the Terra Nova is administered, testing will occur concurrently with the spring administration of the PSSA.

End of Theme Assessments:  The integrated language arts program used at the elementary level utilizes commercially prepared assessments at the end of each teaching unit which is based upon a centralizing theme.

District-Developed Assessments

Various evaluative measures have been created at the district level.   These measures include performance assessment tasks for content standards in the areas of Mathematics and Reading developed in collaboration with four other school districts and funded through a series of Technology Literacy Challenge Fund and Educate America Act grants.   These performance tasks and information relative to alternative forms of assessment can be found on the Internet at www.lc5ec.com under Assessment.   Assessment strategies and performance assessment tasks have been developed with guidance from consultants, higher education support and collaboration with other districts (Lake Lehman, Wyoming Area, Pittston Area and Wyoming Valley West).   These measures reflect current research regarding developmentally appropriate guidelines and best practices in language arts.   Teachers have received training regarding the assessments and use them consistently across the district. 

English as  a Second Language

The district utilizes several standardized tests to determine English language proficiency for students who are part of the PHLOTE (primary home language other than English) as determined by the Home Language Survey (administered at the time of registration.  The two tests that are used most frequently are the IPT (oral language proficiency) and the Woodcock Munoz.  Levels of proficiency identified through the use of these instruments are utilized in the prescription of time and programming for ELL (English Limited Learners).

Table 2: Dallas School District Assessment Distribution Plan

 Language Arts Portfolios (LAPs):The following items will be kept in the primary level LAPs:

Quarterly Learning Target Checklists:  District teachers will use existing or newly developed observational checklists at all four primary grades.  The checklists identify developmentally appropriate listening and speaking skills (PA Standard 1.6) that children should become proficient in at each grade level.  The standards being measured are identified in the district curriculum and are based on PA and National Standards.  The checklist provides four levels of mastery: advanced, proficient, basic, and below basic and is aligned with current research regarding early childhood education and content knowledge.  The skills and knowledge required for each achievement level have been defined.  A checklist will be used four times a year at K-3 grades, to coincide with report cards to indicate a child’s progress toward learning targets for each quarter.

Writing Samples: Teachers of K-3^rd grade students will select a collection of writing samples each quarter for students' LAPs.  The sample will be assessed using the Primary Level Writing Rubric (a developmental adaptation of the PA Domain Writing Rubric) and reflect the student's writing habits.  The rubric is consistent with the developmental writing continuum from experimenting through pictures to meaningful writing with basic sense of story and structure.  Writing samples will reflect different modes of writing as appropriate per grade level. 

Running Records: This assessment documents the oral reading and reading behaviors of students.  These behaviors include the strategies used and the level at which they are controlled.  Reading teachers and classroom teachers will work collaboratively to collect this assessment data at the middle and at the end of each school year from first through third grades.  Entries in the LAP will document a student’s performance. 

Retelling: This procedure will be used to evaluate the students' instructional and/or independent reading and to evaluate their listening/reading comprehension.  Knowledge of story structure and integrated skills such as recall, sequencing, and drawing conclusions also will be recorded.  The text used for retelling is at the instructional level of the students insuring that the students know 90% or higher of the vocabulary by sight.  Materials will be selected from existing curricular resources.  The students are deemed proficient when they are able to read and retell material appropriate to the grade level placement.  A district rubric will be developed for this purpose (Appendix B).  Classroom teachers and reading teachers will collaboratively plan and conduct this evaluation.

Year-End Summary Report: This summary of student performance will be developed at each grade level from K-3.  The report at grades K,1 and 2 will constitute a basic summary of student performance toward the PA standards in the area of language arts.  Subsequent teachers will differentiate instruction to provide all students with the optimum potential for meeting curricular targets based on the portfolio and summary report.  The report following third grade will consist of both summary and transitional reports for students who have not met grade level benchmarks.  For students who have met benchmarks, only a summary report will be completed.  The summary report, consisting of a standards-based checklist, will indicate a student’s progress toward mastering curricular benchmarks and PA standards.  The transition report will indicate specific strengths and weaknesses and identify areas that need to be remediated.  Students who require a transition report will also be referred for formal remediation.

Course Competencies: The Dallas School District utilizes Curriculum Designer Software that allows publication of grade and course curricula in a variety of formats.  One of the essential publishing formats that will be shared with parents is a grade level/course competency list.  This list captures the standards and objectives that students are expected to master at a particular grade level or in a specific course. This form of communication is intended to assist parents in helping their children succeed in school.

The following assessments will be used by the Dallas School District to monitor student progress in fourth and fifth grades.  Students who do not demonstrate proficiency on the standards at the end of grade five will be identified and will be provided additional learning opportunities.  (These are more fully described in Item 11.)

Commercial Products

Standardized Test:  The Terra Nova Basic Multiple Assessment Test (CTB McGraw Hill) has been selected as a district-wide evaluation tool because it provides measures of both the Pennsylvania Academic Standards and National Content Standards.  Grade level assessments for this test will be given in grade four in the spring of each year.

Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA)

PSSA:  The PSSA Reading Exam will be utilized as an assessment tool in grade five for standards 1.1 - 1.3 and 1.7 - 1.8.  The information gleaned from the state assessment will be analyzed and used to triangulate proficiency levels with other district measures and data.  In addition, PSSA scores from 1995-1996 through 1999-2000 have been retained in the testing coordinator’s office to identify grade level progress towards proficiency in the standards.  The 2000-2001 test represents a new baseline of data for comparative purposes as the assessment tool has been realigned to the PA Academic Standards.  Although it will no longer be an accurate comparison with prior tests regarding building or student scores, total reading or writing scores will still be used to demonstrate district growth. 

PA Practice Test Items (Released Items):  This assessment tool, provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, will be used throughout intermediate grades as a means of assessing student progress toward the PA Standards and also to help students become familiar with the format and language of the PSSA.

District-Developed Assessments

Various evaluative measures have been created at the district level.   These measures include performance assessment tasks for content standards in the areas of Mathematics and Reading developed in collaboration with four other school districts and funded through a series of Technology Literacy Challenge Fund and Educate America Act grants.   These performance tasks and information relative to alternative forms of assessment can be found on the Internet at www.lc5ec.com under Assessment.   Assessment strategies and performance assessment tasks have been developed with guidance from consultants, higher education support and collaboration with other districts (Lake Lehman, Wyoming Area, Pittston Area and Wyoming Valley West).   These measures reflect current research regarding developmentally appropriate guidelines and best practices in language arts.   Teachers have received training regarding the assessments and use them consistently across the district.  All measures in this category are dependent upon the Pennsylvania language arts assessment  rubrics.

Language Arts Portfolios (LAPs):  The following items will be kept in the intermediate level LAPs:

Checklists:  District teachers will develop observational checklists for each grade level.  The checklists will be used to identify listening and speaking skills (PA Standard 1.6) that children should become proficient in at each grade level.  The checklist provides four levels of mastery: advanced, proficient, basic, and below basic.  The skills and knowledge required for each achievement level have been defined.  A checklist will be used four times a year at these grades, to coincide with each marking period, and will be used as a means of identifying each child's accomplishments and respective degrees of achievement towards the PA Standards.

Writing Samples: Teachers of 4^th and 5^th grade students will select a collection of writing samples each quarter for students' LAPs.  The sample will be assessed using the Pennsylvania Writing Rubric and reflect the student's writing habits.  Writing samples will contain demonstrations of persuasive, narrative and informational writing.

Course Competencies: The Dallas School District utilizes Curriculum Designer Software that allows publication of grade and course curricula in a variety of formats.  One of the essential publishing formats that will be shared with parents is a grade level/course competency list.  This list captures the standards and objectives that students are expected to master at a particular grade level or in a specific course.  This form of communication is intended to assist parents in helping their children succeed in school.

The following assessments will be used at the middle school level in the Dallas School District to monitor student progress in the sixth through eighth grades.  Students not demonstrating proficiency on the standards will be identified and provided additional learning opportunities.

(These are more fully described in Item 11.)

Commercial Products

Standardized Test: The Terra Nova Basic Multiple Assessment Test (CTB McGraw Hill) has been selected as a district-wide evaluation tool because it provides measures of both the Pennsylvania Academic Standards and National Content Standards.  Grade level assessments for this test will be given in the spring of each year in grades six and seven.

Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA)

PSSA: The PSSA Reading Exam will be utilized as an assessment tool in grade eight for standards 1.1 - 1.3 and 1.7 - 1.8 and the PSSA Writing Test in grade six for standards 1.4 and 1.5.  The information gleaned from the state assessment will be analyzed and used to triangulate proficiency levels with other district measures and data.  In addition, PSSA scores from 1995-1996 through 1999-2000 have been retained in the testing coordinator’s office to identify grade level progress towards proficiency in the standards.  The 2000-2001 test represents a new baseline of data for comparative purposes as the assessment tool has been realigned to the PA Academic Standards.  Although it will no longer be an accurate comparison with prior tests regarding building or student scores, total reading or writing scores will still be used to demonstrate district growth. 

PA Practice Test Items (Released Items): This assessment tool, provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, will be used throughout middle school grades as a means of assessing student progress toward the PA Standards and also to help students become familiar with the format and language of the PSSA.

District-Developed Assessments

Language Arts Portfolios (LAPs):  The following items will be kept in the middle school level LAPs:

Checklists:  District teachers will develop observational checklists for each grade level.  The checklists will be used to identify listening and speaking skills (PA Standard 1.6) that children should become proficient in at each grade level.  The checklist provides four levels of mastery: advanced, proficient, basic, and below basic.  The skills and knowledge required for each achievement level have been defined.  A checklist will be used four times a year at these grades, to coincide with each marking period, and will be used as a means of identifying each child's accomplishments and respective degrees of achievement towards the PA Standards.

Writing Samples: Teachers of 6^th  through 8^th grade students will select a collection of writing samples each quarter for students' LAPs.  The sample will be assessed using the Pennsylvania Writing Rubric and reflect the student's writing habits.  Writing samples will contain demonstrations of persuasive, narrative and informational writing.

Course Competencies: The Dallas School District utilizes Curriculum Designer Software that allows publication of grade and course curricula in a variety of formats.  One of the essential publishing formats that will be shared with parents is a grade level/course competency list.  This list captures the standards and objectives that students are expected to master at a particular grade level or in a specific course.  This form of communication is intended to assist parents in helping their children succeed in school.

District-Wide Assessments: Teachers in differing sections of the same course will utilize common assessment tasks (i.e. culminating tests, performance tasks, etc. developed by teacher teams) to insure consistency in delivery of materials and also to monitor student progress toward curricular standards.

The following assessments will be used at the high school level in the Dallas School District to monitor student progress in grades nine through twelve.  Students not demonstrating proficiency on the standards will be identified and provided additional learning opportunities (these are described more fully in Item 11).  Please note: Although the Dallas School District offers the PSAT/SAT, it has not been listed as an assessment instrument on these pages, because it is not an achievement test and does not align with the Pennsylvania Academic Standards or National Content Standards.  The intent of the verbal skills measured by this instrument is to demonstrate readiness for college-level work.

Commercial Products

Standardized Test: The Terra Nova Basic Multiple Assessment Test (CTB McGraw Hill) has been selected as a district-wide evaluation tool because it provides measures of both the Pennsylvania Academic Standards and National Content Standards.  Grade level assessments for this test will be given in the spring of each year in grade ten.   When junior students do not meet proficiency levels on the PSSA in Mathematics and/or Reading, they will be required to re-test in their senior year. The test will be administered at the end of the student’s first semester of his/her senior year following remediation.   Students will either take the PSSA, if it is available for seniors, or Terra Nova which will serve as the district alternative to PSSA.  Since Terra Nova does not address writing, seniors will be required to take a curriculum-based assessment given by the English Department.

Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA)

PSSA: The PSSA Reading Exam will be utilized as an assessment tool in grade eleven for standards 1.1 - 1.3 and 1.7 - 1.8 and the PSSA Writing Test in grades nine and eleven for standards 1.4 and 1.5.  The information gleaned from the state assessment will be analyzed and used to triangulate proficiency levels with other district measures and data.  In addition, PSSA scores from 1995-1996 through 1999-2000 have been retained in the testing coordinator’s office to identify grade level progress towards proficiency in the standards.  The 2000-2001 test represents a new baseline of data for comparative purposes as the assessment tool has been realigned to the PA Academic Standards.  Although it will no longer be an accurate comparison with prior tests regarding building or student scores, total reading or writing scores will still be used to demonstrate district growth. 

PA Practice Test Items (Released Items): This assessment tool, provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, will be used throughout grades nine through eleven as a means of assessing student progress toward the PA Standards and also to help students become familiar with the format and language of the PSSA.

District-Developed Assessments

Language Arts Portfolios (LAPs):  The following items will be kept in the high school level LAPs:

Checklists:  District teachers will develop observational checklists for each grade level.  The checklists will be used to identify listening and speaking skills (PA Standard 1.6) that children should become proficient in at each grade level.  The checklist provides four levels of mastery: advanced, proficient, basic, and below basic.  The skills and knowledge required for each achievement level have been defined.  A checklist will be used in appropriate, required courses to coincide with each marking period and will be used as a means of identifying each student’s accomplishments and respective degrees of achievement towards the PA Standards.

Writing Samples:  Teachers of 9^th through 11^th grade students will select a collection of writing samples in each appropriate course for students' LAPs.  The sample will be assessed using the Pennsylvania Writing Rubric and reflect the student's writing habits.  Writing samples should contain demonstrations of all persuasive, narrative and informational writning.  Students may access their portfolios to utilize materials for college or other applications.

Course Competencies: The Dallas School District utilizes Curriculum Designer Software that allows publication of grade and course curricula in a variety of formats.  One of the essential publishing formats that will be shared with parents is a grade level/course competency list.  This list captures the standards and objectives that students are expected to master at a particular grade level or in a specific course.  This form of communication is intended to assist parents in helping their children succeed in school.

District-Wide Assessments: Teachers in differing sections of the same course will utilize common assessment tasks (i.e. culminating tests, performance tasks, etc) to insure consistency in delivery of materials and also to monitor student progress toward curricular standards.

Culminating Project: A culminating project will begin in grade nine with a course designed to instruct students in researching techniques, technology applications for presentation and MLA writing format. The completed project is scheduled to be presented in grade eleven.  This project will demonstrate the students' ability to apply, analyze, synthesize and evaluate information, and communicate significant knowledge and understanding.  This project will build on the knowledge and skills throughout the curriculum.  District-developed rubrics will be used for evaluation.  Students' performances will be evaluated with the district developed rubric by a panel of judges as described in the district’s Completion Project Handbook .

The distribution of assessments in mathematics is shown in Table Two.  This table delineates the measures being used by the Dallas School District to determine the degree to which students are progressing in the Pennsylvania Academic Mathematics Standards.  To ensure students have multiple opportunities to demonstrate proficiency level in the standards and to increase the validity and reliability of district assessment, many evaluative tools have been identified.  The district will use commercial products, the Pennsylvania State System of Assessment (PSSA), and locally developed assessments.  The results from this three-pronged data collection will be triangulated and used to design and revise curriculum, provide formative results that can direct instruction in the classroom, give information to parents, set learning goals, and identify students who need additional learning opportunities or assistance.  Appropriate accommodations will be provided for students at every grade level as needed.  A narrative has been provided to describe the various evaluative tools noted in the Table Two.  The narrative is arranged by organizational level. 

The following assessments will be used at the primary grade levels in the Dallas School District to monitor student progress through the third grade.  Students not demonstrating proficiency on the standards at the end of grade two will be identified for extra assistance during the third grade.  This support can include before and after school tutoring, referral to the Instructional Support Team, volunteer mentors from the high school and community, specialized math software and/or specialized summer programs.  At the end of third grade, students still demonstrating basic or below basic levels of achievement will receive a grade level learning plan (see Appendix C).  This plan will utilize all assessment data to diagnose the specific skills and knowledge necessary to help the child be successful.  Additional supports such as those identified in the remediation section of this plan will be utilized to support the development of all students. 

Commercial Products

Standardized Test:  The Terra Nova Basic Multiple Assessment has been selected as a district-wide evaluation tool because it provides measures of both the Pennsylvania Academic Standards and National Content Standards.  Grade level assessments for this test will be given in the spring of each year in grade two. In addition, the Pre-Test of Cognitive Skills will be administered in the spring semester of first grade.   This schedule will ensure young students are progressing in their knowledge and skills and provide time for diagnosis and mastery of standards by third grade. The standards measured by this assessment have been identified in the district’s curriculum derived from national and state standards.

Mathematics Program  Assessments: Dallas School District is currently in the process of phasing in the Everyday Mathematics Program (a.k.a. Chicago Math).  The program includes several performance based assessment tools that teachers use on a regular basis to determine student progress toward benchmark skills.  The program is being implemented a grade at a time, with the 2001-2002 implementation moving into third grade.

District-Developed Assessments

Various evaluative measures have been created at the district level.  All tools have been developed with guidance from consultants, higher education, or collaboratively with other districts.  These measures reflect current research regarding developmentally appropriate guidelines and best practices in mathematics.  Teachers have received training regarding the assessments and use them consistently across the district.  These assessments are predominantly performance based and directly related to the Everyday Mathematics Program.  Teachers at each grade level have identified essential skills for each semester.  The checklists (see Appendix D) are shared with parents at the beginning of each semester.  Students are formally assessed at the end of each semester using a district-developed rubric for each of the skills in which mastery is indicated.  Skills in which mastery is not indicated, but in which instruction has occurred are evaluated using classroom-based performance assessment tasks and teacher observation.  The completed assessment checklist is shared with parents at the end of each quarter as an indicator of student progress during the semester.  Students are rated in each skill as beginning, developing or secure.  Since the Everyday Mathematics Program is based on developmental readiness, this reporting system helps teachers, parents and students identify areas of mastery and also areas needing further maturity.

The following assessments will be used at the intermediate grade levels in the Dallas School District to monitor student progress through the fifth grade.  Students not demonstrating proficiency on the standards at the end of grade four will be identified for extra assistance during the fifth grade.  This support can include before and after school tutoring, referral to the Instructional Support Team, volunteer mentors from the high school and community, specialized math software and/or specialized summer programs.  At the end of fifth grade, students still demonstrating basic or below basic levels of achievement will receive a grade level learning plan (see Appendix C).  This plan will utilize all assessment data to diagnose the specific skills and knowledge necessary to help the child be successful.  Additional supports such as those identified in the remediation section of this plan will be utilized to support the development of all students. 

Commercial Products

Standardized Test:  The Terra Nova Basic Multiple Assessment has been selected as a district-wide evaluation tool because it provides measures of both the Pennsylvania Academic Standards and National Content Standards.  Grade level assessments for this test will be given in the spring of each year in grade four.   This schedule will ensure students are progressing in their knowledge and skills and provide time for diagnosis and mastery of standards by fifth grade.  The standards measured by this assessment have been identified in the district’s curriculum derived from national and state standards and assessment requirements from the Pennsylvania State System of Assessment (PSSA).

Mathematics Program Assessments: Dallas School District is currently in the process of implementing the Everyday Mathematics Program (a.k.a. Chicago Math).  The program includes several performance based assessment tools that teachers use on a regular basis to determine student progress toward benchmark skills.  The program is being implemented one grade at a time.  Third grade will begin using the program in 2001-02.   Fourth and fifth grade implementation will occur in 2002-03 and 2003-04 respectively.  In addition, our 4^th and 5^th grade teachers integrated a significant portion of the program as a supplement to the traditional mathematics program.  This has afforded them the opportunity to utilize several of the performance tasks that are part of the program as well as teacher-made performance tasks.

Textbook Assessments: These commercially prepared tests are provided with the district's current mathematics series.  They provide information regarding mathematical standards in a specific course of study and are part of a comprehensive classroom-based assessment program.

District-Developed Assessments

Various evaluative measures have been and additional measures will be created by 4^th and 5^th grade-level teams.  All tools are the result of guidance from consultants, higher education, and/or collaboration with other districts.  Many of the existing performance measures have been developed through the Luzerne County 5 Educational Consortium (www.LC5EC.com).   This consortium, made up of five school districts (Pittston Area, Wyoming Area, Wyoming Valley West, Lake Lehman and Dallas), has created opportunities through a series of grants, for teachers to work collaboratively on the development of alternative assessment tasks.  The consortium has also provided a great deal of training in the development and use of alternative assessment techniques.    These measures reflect current research regarding developmentally appropriate guidelines and best practices in mathematics.  The assessments are predominantly performance based and directly related to both the traditional and Everyday Mathematics programs.  A combination of traditional and alternative assessment techniques are employed by grade 4 and 5 teachers to determine student progress toward curricular goals.

Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA)

PSSA: The PSSA will be utilized as an assessment tool in grade five for all mathematical standards.  The information gleaned from the state assessment will be analyzed and used to triangulate proficiency levels with other district measures and data.  In addition, PSSA scores from 1995-1996 through 1999-2000 have been retained by the district’s assessment coordinator to identify progress of the total math program.  The 2000-2001 test represents a new baseline of data for comparative purposes as the assessment tool has been realigned to the PA Academic Standards and will no longer be an accurate comparison with prior tests.  Whole group scores may still be used for contrast/demonstration of district growth. 

PA Practice Test Items (Released Items): This assessment tool, provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, will be used throughout 4^th and 5^th grades as a means of assessing student progress toward the PA Standards and also to help students become familiar with the format and language of the PSSA.

The following assessments will be used at the middle school in the Dallas School District to monitor student progress through the eighth grade.  Students not demonstrating proficiency on the standards at the end of grade seven will be identified for extra assistance.  This support can include before and after school tutoring, volunteer mentors from the high school and community, specialized math software and/or specialized summer programs.  At the end of eighth grade, students still demonstrating basic or below basic levels of achievement will receive a grade level learning plan (see Appendix C).  This plan will utilize all assessment data to diagnose the specific skills and knowledge necessary to help the student succeed.  Additional supports such as those identified in the remediation section of this plan will be utilized to support the development of all students. 

Commercial Products

Standardized Test:  The Terra Nova Basic Multiple Assessment has been selected as a district-wide evaluation tool because it provides measures of both the Pennsylvania Academic Standards and National Content Standards.  Grade level assessments for this test will be given in the spring of each year in grades six and seven.   This schedule will ensure students are progressing in their knowledge and skills and provide time for diagnosis and mastery of standards by eighth grade.  The standards measured by this assessment have been identified in the district’s curriculum derived from national and state standards and assessment requirements from the Pennsylvania State System of Assessment (PSSA).

Textbook Assessments: These commercially prepared tests are provided with the district's current mathematics series.  They provide information regarding mathematical standards in a specific course of study and are part of a comprehensive classroom-based assessment program.

District-Developed Assessments

Various evaluative measures have been created at each grade level.  All tools have been developed with guidance from consultants, higher education, or collaboratively the Luzerne County 5 Educational Consortium (available for review at www.lc5ec.com) and other districts.  These measures reflect current research regarding developmentally appropriate guidelines and best practices in mathematics.  Teachers have received training regarding the assessments and use them consistently across grades.

District-Wide Assessments: Teachers in differing sections of the same course will utilize common assessment tasks (i.e. culminating tests, performance tasks, etc) to insure consistency in delivery of materials and also to monitor student progress toward curricular standards.

Course Competencies: The Dallas School District utilizes Curriculum Designer Software, that allows publication of grade and course curricula in a variety of formats.  One of the essential publishing formats that will be shared with parents is a grade level/course competency list.  This list captures the standards and objectives that students are expected to master at a particular grade level or in a specific course.  This form of communication is intended to assist parents in helping their children succeed in school.

Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA)

PSSA: The PSSA will be utilized as an assessment tool in grade eight for all mathematical standards.  The information gleaned from the state assessment will be analyzed and used to triangulate proficiency levels with other district measures and data.  In addition, PSSA scores from 1995-1996 through 1999-2000 have been retained in the district assessment coordinator’s office to identify progress of the total math program.  The 2000-2001 test represents a new baseline of data for comparative purposes as the assessment tool has been realigned to the PA Academic Standards and will no longer be an accurate comparison with prior tests.  Whole group scores may still be used for contrast/demonstration of district growth. 

PA Practice Test Items (Released Items): This assessment tool, provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, will be used throughout middle school grades as a means of assessing student progress toward the PA Standards and also to help students become familiar with the format and language of the PSSA.

The following assessments will be used at the high school level in the Dallas School District to monitor student progress in mathematics in grades nine through twelve.  Students not demonstrating proficiency on the standards will be identified and provided additional learning opportunities (these are described more fully in Item 11 – Remediation.   Please note: Although the Dallas School District offers the PSAT/SAT, it has not been listed as an assessment instrument on these pages because it does not align with the Pennsylvania Academic Standards or National Content Standards.  The intent of the mathematical reasoning measured by this instrument is to demonstrate readiness for college-level work.

Commercial Products

Standardized Test: The Terra Nova Basic Multiple Assessment has been selected as a district-wide evaluation tool because it provides measures of both the Pennsylvania Academic Standards and National Content Standards.  Grade level assessments for this test will be given in the spring of each year in grade ten.   This schedule will ensure students are progressing in their knowledge and skills and provide time for diagnosis and mastery of standards by eleventh grade.  The standards measured by this assessment have been identified in the district’s curriculum derived from national and state standards and assessment requirements from the Pennsylvania State System of Assessment (PSSA).

Additionally, in cases where students do not meet the proficiency level in the eleventh grade administration of the PSSA, Terra Nova will be used in the senior year, following remediation, to determine if the student has mastered the necessary standards to justify graduation.  The PSSA scores, along with the Terra Nova scores in the senior year (if necessary), will be considered in the district’s graduation requirements matrix (discussed in another section of this plan) to determine eligibility for graduation.

Textbook Assessments: These commercially prepared tests are provided with the district's currently adopted mathematics series.  They provide information regarding mathematical standards in a specific course of study and are part of a comprehensive classroom-based assessment program.

Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA)

PSSA: The PSSA will be utilized as an assessment tool in grade eleven for all mathematics standards.  The information gleaned from the state assessment will be analyzed and used to triangulate proficiency levels with other district measures and data.  In addition, PSSA scores from 1995-1996 through 1999-2000 have been retained in the district assessment coordinator’s office to identify progress of the total mathematics program.  The 2000-2001 test will represent a new baseline of data for comparative purposes as the assessment tool has been realigned to the PA Academic Standards and will no longer be an accurate comparison with prior tests.  Whole group scores may still be used for contrast/demonstration of district growth. 

PSSA Released Items: This assessment tool, provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, will be used throughout the high school experience to monitor student progress toward academic standards and also to help students become familiar with test format and vocabulary.  Results from the evaluation will be analyzed and used to direct teachers' classroom instruction and individual remediation. 

District-Developed Assessments

Various evaluative measures have been created at each grade level.  All tools have been developed with guidance from consultants, higher education, or collaboratively the Luzerne County 5 Educational Consortium (available for review at www.lc5ec.com) and other school districts.  These measures reflect current research regarding developmentally appropriate guidelines and best practices in mathematics.  Teachers have received training regarding the assessments and use them consistently across grades.

District-Wide Assessments: Teachers in differing sections of the same course will utilize common assessment tasks (i.e. culminating tests, performance tasks, etc) to insure consistency in delivery of materials and also to monitor student progress toward curricular standards.

Course Competencies: The Dallas School District utilizes Curriculum Designer Software, that allows publication of grade and course curricula in a variety of formats.  One of the essential publishing formats that will be shared with parents is a grade level/course competency list.  This list captures the standards and objectives that students are expected to master at a particular grade level or in a specific course.  This form of communication is intended to assist parents in helping their children succeed in school.

How Assessment Information Shall Be Made Available to the Public

The school district shall utilize multiple assessment techniques to measure student mastery of the standards.  These include commercial tests, state tests, written work by students, student performances, products or projects, teacher examinations, survey or observation checklists, and portfolios of student work.  The public shall be notified of the results of both the state, commercial, and district-developed assessments as per the following:

·        Cumulative state and commercial test results will be reported in each building’s newsletter and in the local newspapers annually.  The district is developing a structure that will enable us to publicly report students' progress towards achieving the standards that utilizes all assessment data.  This comprehensive report will extend the information provided by standardized tests and give a more accurate and thorough representation of the achievement of students at the various grade levels in the Dallas School District. 

·        Individual test scores will be sent to the parents of each student. 

·        Portfolios of student work will be made available to parents at any time upon request.  Each year, parents shall receive an invitation to review the portfolio at the school with the student and a teacher. 

·        Curriculum-based assessments, which include projects, daily work, teacher tests, observation checklists, and anecdotal records of student demonstrations and performances, shall be reflected on the report cards.  Parents may request a conference with a student's teachers at any time to review the student's progress. 

·        The culminating project presentation shall be open to parents.  Parents may request a conference with the student advisor regarding assessment of the project. 

Item 6: Plan to Improve Student Achievement

Each year the assessment committee of the school district conducts an analysis of district data from the assessment tools to guide and improve curriculum and instruction.  This analysis includes a review of the hard data from commercial, state, district and classroom assessments.  Although each assessment instrument yields different data, the general review process is as follows:

·       District central office personnel will gather and chart data at each grade level per benchmark

·       Using the district level of expectancy per standard area, central office personnel will note results that are above and below expectancy.

·       The above two steps in the process are repeated with building level teachers and administrators, using building data.  Building data also is compared and contrasted with district data.

·       Each building team selects instructional goal areas for improvement for the succeeding school year and identifies individual students who need additional support.

·       District support staff and subject area curriculum staff assist teachers in finding support materials and research driven instructional techniques to enhance the instructional program in the goal areas.

·       District support-staff and subject area curriculum staff produce classroom tools to assist teachers in monitoring student progress toward the instructional goal areas.

·       The assessment committee also reviews attendance records and allocation of instructional time in each subject area to check for problem areas.  Data is given to building staff and building teacher committees for consideration and improvement plans.

In addition to the above process, the district also engages in the following activities to improve student achievement:

·         Include staff development opportunities that reinforce results and improvement of student achievement

·         Utilizes the state and district developed rubrics for instruction at all grade levels

·         Provides the PSSA Classroom Connections Kit and Family Connections Kit on the district server so that teachers and parents may  readily have access to the reading, writing, and mathematics resources found in the kit

·         Provides regular in-service to all teachers on the standards and on student assessment

·         Participates with other school districts in state and intermediate unit workshops on standards-based topics

·         Makes the standards based web site available to all teachers and students

·         Provides direct instruction on reading strategies K-12

·         Utilizes teaching strategies that encourage higher level thinking and problem solving skills

·         Provides multiple opportunities for students to engage in open-ended tasks in all content areas

·         Provides multiple opportunities for students to respond to writing prompts in a variety of genre in all curricular activities

·         Reviews school district results to identify areas of weakness and strengths and modifies curricula accordingly

·         Provides information and materials to  teachers on utilizing similar PSSA items found in the assessment handbooks at the building level

·         Utilizes the student practice booklets for PSSA tests which will be provided to districts in mathematics and reading in grades 5, 8, and 11

·         Utilize available technology to provide individual opportunities for remediation

·         Provides staff development for flexible grouping

·         Provides reading remediation through Title I services

·         Provides opportunities for math and reading remediation in scheduled after school and summer school sessions

·         Provides opportunities for math and reading remediation in scheduled flex periods at the high school

·         Plan and provide in-services for middle and high school content teachers on reading strategies

·         Individual buildings will develop scheduled opportunities for math, reading, and writing remediation using staff, peers, or volunteers

Item 7: Professional Education Plan

As per Act 48, the Dallas School District has completed a comprehensive professional education plan.  The plan, completed by a representative committee of educators, administrators, community members and parents, is contained as Appendix E to this strategic planning document.  Certainly, it is the philosophy of the district that the activities contained in the Act 48 Professional Education Plan should be designed to support the implementation of the district’s strategic goals.

Item 8: School Organization

The building organizational structure of the district is elementary (K-5); middle school (6-8); and high school (9-12). Within that structure the educational program is organized as:

Kdg – 3^rd grade    è    Primary Program

4^th – 5^th grade       è     Intermediate

6^th – 8^th grade       è     Middle School

9^th – 12^th grade     è    High School

        The planned courses of instruction and the assessment programs are matched to the state requirements for primary, intermediate, middle school and high school. The district benchmarks and local assessments are being developed K through 12 designed from the state academic standards. Monitoring of the program and the data analysis of the program is done at each level according to the descriptions in Items 4, 5 and 6 of this plan.

Item 9: District Resources

Regarding the Dallas School District  mission, goals, and academic standards, the district ensures the employment of qualified professional employees (administrators and teachers) to deliver the curriculum, instruction, and assessment requirements of state regulations. Thus, personnel who teach and administer the district-planned instruction and assessment programs have the proper credentials.

Presently there are 152 teaching professionals on staff in the Dallas School District. There is an average student-teacher ratio of 23 students per teacher. The district also employs 12 administrators in the following positions:

·        Superintendent

·        Assistant Superintendent For Curriculum And Instruction

·        Business Manager  (Currently A Contracted Service)

·        Director Of Special Education (Contracted Service Through the Luzerne Intermediate Unit)

·        Director Of Technology / Federal Programs

·        High School Principal

·        Assistant High School Principal

·        Middle School Principal

·        Assistant Middle School Principal

·        Elementary School Principal (Two Positions)

·        Educational Technologist

Each school building contains a library with reference resources of various media to supplement the district’s curriculum, instruction, and assessment programs. These resources are provided to support the district's mission, goals, and academic standards. At the middle and high school levels, the library provides instruction for students in all planned courses with reference to information skills, including access to traditional and electronic information sources, and computer use and research. Staff for the district's library-media program include one full time librarians for the elementary schools, one full time middle school librarian, and one full time high school librarian.  Several library aides also support the K-12 program. 

Planned courses in library education are taught to all students in the elementary, middle and high school programs. These planned courses are taught separately in the elementary and integrated in the middle and high school programs.  The district has installed and currently uses a district-wide electronic card catalog and management system.  The new system also allows students and parents to access the libraries’ holdings through an Internet connection at http://www.dallassd.com.

The buildings are maintained continuously and promote achievement of the district’s mission, goals, and academic standards. The Middle school is currently undergoing a $16 million overhaul that includes the addition of classroom and computer lab space as well as a natatorium.  The high school is the next building scheduled for similar renovations expected to cost $20+ million. 

The technology plan has been funded through a series of lease purchase agreements that allow the district to recycle computers and associated peripherals on a yearly basis.  In addition, several competitive as well as block grants have been used to support the plan.  Personnel for the program are funded through the general operating budget as well as

Title I.

Each school contains facilities for implementation of the curriculum, instruction, and assessment programs as required in Chapter 4. Elementary buildings provide for active learning experiences in the arts and exploration of "hands-on" experiences in science and environmental education. At the middle school, facilities are provided for active learning experiences in the arts and related areas of study, science, environmental education, technology education, and consumer and family science. In the high school, laboratories are available for all science courses and facilities are provided for the arts, business education, foreign language, family life education, and technology education.

In 2001-02, the Dallas School District contracted with the local Intermediate Unit (18) to provide diagnostic and direct instructional services for students in need of ESL  programming.  The population of ELL (English Limited Learners) has increased in the district to the point that the Board of Education decided to create a full-time teaching position that would have ESL as a primary responsibility.  In the 2002-03 school year, this contracted position assumed the primary responsibility for ESL programming in Dallas.

Computer laboratories (one in each of the elementary buildings and several in the middle and high schools) ensure uses and applications of computers and software including word processing, databases, spreadsheets, and telecommunications.

Additionally, other resources are available to assist in student achievement of the district’s mission, goals and academic standards. Presently, these resources include, but are not limited to the following:

·        Professional library resources

·        Local, regional, state, and national staff development programs available for all professional personnel

·        Extracurricular programs

·        Outdoor recreation facilities and community programs

·        Intermediate unit programs and services

·        School/business partnerships which provide mentoring and school-to-work opportunities for students

·        Interagency collaborations (for example, MHMR, drug and alcohol single county authorities, etc.

·         Articulation agreements with local colleges

·         External programs through organizations such as NASA

·         Collaboration with the Northeastern PA Diversity Education Consortium

·        Affiliation with the Luzerne County 5 Educational Consortium for curriculum development

Item 10:  Planning Process

Listed below are the names of the members of the strategic planning steering committee and the groups they represent:

The strategic planning steering committee was formed as follows: the teachers were chosen by teachers, board members by board members, and administrators by administrators. The coordinator was recommended by the superintendent and approved by the board. Parents, business and community members were solicited from active groups in the district (such as the Parents’ Advisory Council). The local university provided a faculty member. The high school faculty selected the students from among those who are active in the school community.

The strategic planning steering committee participated in meetings during the 2000-01 school year to examine district data and draft the district mission, goals, and other responses to the strategic planning items. Those meeting dates, persons present, agendas, and minutes are on file in the district office.

Subcommittees provided additional information to the steering committee for their deliberations and decisions. Names of members of these subcommittees are also on file in the district office. Finally, the strategic plan was presented in total form to the Board of Education in August of 2001. It was placed in the district libraries for public review and comment for a period of 30 days. On September 10, 2001 the Board approved the plan.

Item 11:  Plan for Additional Instructional Opportunities

The district has designed various programs to assist students who are having difficulty achieving academic standards. The programs represent a multi-leveled approach addressing the various needs of the student body. Each component is listed below with the appropriate grade levels.

A building team of teachers and administrators operates and manages each program modifying procedures and activities as needed. Financial support for the each item has been incorporated into the district budget. Building data on the activities and specific procedures for use of the program is maintained in each building office.

In addition, the district has put into place, a program for English Limited Learners.  This ESL program provides direct instruction in the acquisition and application of English language proficiency in Reading, Speaking, Listening and Writing.  The program is designed for students who lack English Language proficiency due to the fact that their primary home language has been identified as one other than English.

The programs for additional student instructional opportunities are:

·        Title I support for additional remedial reading instruction for students scoring below prescribed levels on the district screening test (K-8)

·        English as a Second Language

·        After school tutoring with elementary teachers 2 – 3 days per week (grades K-3 mathematics program) – to be expanded as the math program is implemented in 4^th and 5^th grade.

·        School-based tutoring (grades K-12) during prescribed periods at the middle and high schools and during recess at the elementary schools

·        Summer reading and math camp (grades K-8)

·        Summer school programs operated by external agencies (secondary)

·        Individual improvement plans written and implemented for each student who is found not proficient in the assessments of the standards (grades 1-6)

·        Referral to the Instructional Support Team (K-5)

·        Software tutorial programs and integrated learning systems (K-12)

·        High school tutoring program (elementary students)