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Student Learning/Support

Objectives (SLO/SSO)-Designing Module-

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Student Learning/Support Objectives

Module 1Designing the SLO/SSO

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DesignGoal• Designing technically rigorous student learning/support

objectives (SLO/SSO) for use in guiding instruction (and/or support services); while determining student mastery or growth as part of an educator effectiveness system.

Objectives• Participants will :

1. Compose a Goal Statement.2. Select Targeted Content/Professional Standards.3. Create a Blueprint.

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Helpful Resources

Participants should consult the following:

Training• Handout #1: Designing the SLO

Step 1: Goal Statement Step 2: Targeted Content/Professional Standards Step 3: Blueprint

Templates• Template #1: Designing the SLO• Template #3: Coherency Rubric

Resources• Demonstration #1-Art Grade 3-DEMO-Final• Demonstration #2-School Psychologists-DEMO-Final

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Process Components

STEP #1 Goal

STEP #2 Standards

STEP #3 Blueprint

STEP #4 Form STEP #5 QA

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DESIGN Phase

• Think about which content/professional standards to measure.

• Organize standards and measures.• Discuss collective goals with colleagues.• Research what constitutes a high-quality SLO/SSO.

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STEP 1

Goal Statement

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SLO/SSO Definition• A narrative that articulates a key concept upon

which the SLO/SSO is based. The statement addresses What, Why, and How.

Characteristics:• Central to the content area/professional

service• A foundational concept/service needed for

future, more advanced learning and school success.

What is a Goal Statement?

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Addresses at least three key elements:

• WHAT part of the content/professional standards is being reflected in the key concept/service?

• WHY is the key concept/service a central idea, controlling theme, or primary service?

• HOW do the skills and knowledge/services support future, more advanced learning?

Goal Statement

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Goal Statement -SLO: High School Economics-

“Demonstrate how scarcity and choice affect decision-making locally, nationally, and internationally. The concepts of scarcity and choice are the foundations for understanding and applying economic principles. Future courses will require that students propose solutions for scarcity of goods and services through production and allocation efficiencies.”*Note* See also Handout #1: Designing the SLO, Step #1–Goal Statement.

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Goal Statement -SSO: High School Counselors-

“The purpose of the high school counselor’s student service goal is to evaluate the contributions of the school counselor relative to student improvement in the areas of academic, personal/social, and career development. Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge, and skills that contribute to effective learning in school and across the life span. This goal will be partially accomplished through the delivery of a guidance curriculum, individual student planning, and responsive services.”*Note* See also Handout #1: Designing the SLO, Step #1–Goal Statement.

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Procedural Steps 1. Create a statement about a key concept (or primary service)

that is essential to the course or subject area (or supporting student achievement).

2. Discuss and build consensus by focusing on each aspect of the key concept (or primary service).

3. Draft a sentence reflecting the group’s consensus on the Goal Statement.

4. Merge the three sentences to create a single-paragraph statement and review with the group.

5. Finalize the statement and double-check for editorial soundness.

*Note: The statements in italics are application to specialists creating a Student Support Objective (SSO); Refer to Template #1: Designing the SLO, Step 1–Developing a Goal Statement.

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Quality Assurance (QA) ChecklistThe Goal Statement addresses:

What the key concept (service) that is an essential understanding of the course/subject area (or supporting student achievement) is.

Why the selected key concept (service) is foundational and represents at least one central idea (professional standard).

How the skills and knowledge associated with the key concept (identified service) support future, more advanced learning.

The Goal Statement is: Created by educators (specialists) with experience teaching

the course/subject area (professional area). Reviewed for editorial soundness.

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STEP 2Targeted Content/Professional

Standards

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SLO Definition• Targeted Content Standards, which are the foundation of

performance measures, articulate what students should know (knowledge), be able to demonstrate (skills), and apply in other settings (abilities).

SSO Definition• Targeted Professional Standards outline the requirements an

organization must fulfill to ensure that products and services consistently meet customers' requirements. Content standards may also be identified for those individuals providing instructional services.

What are Targeted Content/Professional Standards?

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Targeted StandardsChoosing Targeted Content/Professional Standards means:• Identifying within the content/service

areas the standards that represent the key concept/service.

• Selecting certain content/professional standards for use with the performance measure.

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Guiding Questions

• Endurance–Will this standard provide students with knowledge, skills, abilities and/or services of value beyond a single date/point in time?

• Leverage–Will this standard provide knowledge, skills, abilities and/or services in multiple disciplines/settings?

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Rules of ThumbSLO• Describes the expectations associated with a particular

academic content area.• Articulates what students should know (knowledge)

and be able to demonstrate (skills).• Represents the curricula taught during the school year.SSO• Articulates how the service supports student learning

and school success. • Represents core services focused on student outcomes.

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Rules of Thumb (cont.)Assumptions• Targeted content standards have a direct

influence on student performance outcomes and can be measured across two points in time or at a single point, with performance standards defining mastery and growth.

• Targeted professional standards have quantifiable outcomes that can be collected in a uniform (standardized) manner.

20*Note* See also Handout #1: Designing the SLO, Step #2–Targeted Content

Standards.

Standard ID Description RationaleStandard 1.1 Interpersonal Communication

Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.

To achieve functional levels of communicative competence in a world language, students must use the language regularly in everyday social interactions such as conversing, arguing, criticizing, requesting, convincing, and explaining effectively.

Standard 1.2 InterpretativeCommunication

Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics. 

Developing literacy in a world language is a crucial 21st century skill. Students need to develop a variety of reading and listening strategies that will allow them to comprehend, analyze, and synthesize information.

SLO: World Languages

21*Note* See also Handout #1: Designing the SLO, Step #2–Targeted Standards.

Standard ID Description RationaleA:A1 Improve Academic Self-Concept

A:A1.1 Articulate feelings of competence and confidence as learners. A:A1.2 Display a positive interest in learning. A:A1.3 Take pride in work and achievement. A:A1.4 Accept mistakes as essential to the learning process. A:A1.5 Identify attitudes and behaviors that lead to successful learning.

Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge, and skills that contribute to effective learning in school and throughout life.

A:A2 Acquire Skills for Improving Learning

A:A2.1 Apply time-management and task-management skills. A:A2.2 Demonstrate how effort and persistence positively affect learning. A:A2.3 Use communications skills to know when and how to ask for help when needed. A:A2.4 Apply knowledge and learning styles to positively influence school performance

Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge, and skills that contribute to effective learning in school and throughout life.

SSO: High School Counselors

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Procedural Steps1. Examine the content (professional) standards associated with

the Goal Statement developed in Step #1.

2. Identify a preliminary group of standards that are essential components of the identified key concept (service).

3. Select those standards that can be measured to produce achievement data (achievement and/or school success data).

4. Place the name or codification for each targeted content (professional) standard in the Standards ID column and enter the content description in the Description column.

5. Enter a brief statement in the Rationale column explaining the alignment with the Goal Statement.

*Note* Refer to Template #1: Designing the SLO, Step 2–Identifying the Targeted Content Standards

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Quality Assurance (QA) ChecklistThe Targeted Content (Professional) Standards:

Represent, within the greater content area (profession), the key concept (service) that the Goal Statement articulates.

Have leverage and endurance characteristics (i.e. knowledge and skills of value across multiple disciplines).

Prepare students for more advanced learning). Can be measured by high-quality assessments. Can produce information about what students know and are

able to do. Can guide teaching and pedagogy (inform the service

delivery models).

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STEP 3Blueprint

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What is a Blueprint?

A design tool that:• Aids in the SLO/SSO design process.• Visually depicts the relationship

among key SLO/SSO elements.• Aligns the technical components that

serve as the foundation for creating the student learning/support objectives.

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Basic Elements

• Goal Statement• Targeted Content/Professional

Standards• Objectives Statement: [S.M.A.R.T

format]• Performance Measures/Assessments

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Blueprint-Art Grade 3 Example-

Goal StatementDemonstrate the art skills, techniques, elements, and principles that are the foundation of visual communication and are key to communicating ideas, artistic messages, mood, and feelings.

Objectives OBJ #1: By the end of the final grading period, at least 75% of all students will earn at least one Proficient rating within the Paper Weaving Project.

OBJ #2:By the end of the third grading period, at least 80% of all students will earn at least one Proficient rating within the Still Life Painting Portfolio.

PM #2:Still Life Painting Portfolio comprised of four (4) unique paintings.

*Note* Also see Handout #1: Designing the SLO, Step #3–Blueprint.

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Blueprint-School Psychologists Example-

Goal StatementImprove students' academic achievement, positive mental health, and social competence using interventions and mental health services.

Objectives OBJ #1: 70% of all identified students will show improvement on their targeted behaviors after 8 weeks of receiving services.

OBJ #2:80% of all identified students will maintain targeted behaviors after 16 weeks of receiving services.

PM #2:Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)-District

*Note* Also see Handout #1: Designing the SLO, Step #3–Blueprint.

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Procedural Steps1. Add Goal Statement and Targeted Content (Professional)

Standards identified in Steps #1 and #2.

2. Explore potential performance measures (i.e., assessments) and metric types (e.g., mastery, growth).

3. Draft an objective for each performance measure using the Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) format.

4. Review the alignment between the selected performance measures and the Targeted Content (Professional) Standards.

5. Ensure that the developed objectives are sufficient measures of the Goal Statement.

*Note* Refer to Template #1: Designing the SLO, Step 3–Creating a Blueprint.

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Quality Assurance ChecklistThe Blueprint includes:

The Goal Statement and Targeted Content (Professional) Standards. The performance measures used to create student achievement data. The objectives used to demonstrate student achievement. All components needed to create the SLO/SSO.

The Objectives are written in ________________ terms. Specific Measureable Achievable Relevant Time-bound

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Reflection

• Purpose Statement

Step 1

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Design Phase: Final Check• The Coherency Rubric, which examines the alignment

characteristics of each student learning/support objective (SLO/SSO), serves as a review tool so that each SLO/SSO is technically rigorous.

• Each phase contains a series of tasks with applicable descriptors that specify the criteria for evaluating the technical quality. Phase I: Design evaluates five aspects of the SLO presented within this module.

*Note* Template #3: Reviewing the SLO Coherency Rubric is found in the Review module.

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Final Check (cont.)Phase I: Design

Task ID Descriptor Rating

Meets Criteria

Needs Refinement

1.1The goal statement articulates the “big idea” under which targeted content/professional standards are directly aligned. The statement is concise and free of technical jargon.

1.2Targeted content/professional standards have a direct influence on student performance outcomes and are viewed as “central” to the subject/service area.

1.3The course/subject (service) area associated with the SLO/SSO is logically linked to the central theme and targeted content/professional standards.

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Final Check (cont.)Task ID Descriptor Rating

Meets Criteria

Needs Refinement

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A blueprint or other design document illustrates relationships among key components (i.e., Goal Statement, Targeted Content/Professional Standards, Objectives, Performance Measures, and Overall Rating).

1.5Performance measures are designed to evaluate the targeted content/professional standards (as demonstrated by the performance measure’s alignment characteristics).

Needs Refinement Clarification

Phase I: Design

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Summary SUMMARYDesigning the SLO• Designed a Goal Statement and selected

content/professional standards.• Organized and aligned SLO/SSO components

within a blueprint.NEXT STEPSBuilding the SLO• Using the completed blueprint, participants will

create a high quality SLO/SSO and develop and/or select applicable performance measures.