Benchmark Advance/Adelante K-

5 Language Arts Curriculum

Implementation Update

1

Adoption Timeline History

Fall 2015 - Teachers, Parents & Community invited to participate in adoption process

Winter 2015 - Committee selects & pilots 2 CDE approved curriculums

Spring 2016 - Benchmark Advance/Adelante Board approved as VUSD

Language Arts Curriculum

Summer 2016 - K-5 teachers receive 2 days’ basic training before school begins

2016 - 2017 School Year - K-5 teachers attend two more days of differentiated Benchmark

trainings of choice

2

Curriculum Highlights

Including Differentiated Supports

3

Components: Whole Group: Close Reading text consumables

designed for student annotation, online

interactive presentations, meta-cognitive read-

alouds, content-based engaging thematic

materials, online assessments

Small Group: differentiated texts, readers’

theater, designated/integrated ELD materials,

phonics & fluency programs, intervention

materials for struggling learners, acceleration

opportunities, progress monitoring

assessments

Independent Practice: Writers’ Universe, online

& hard copy library with home connection,

practice and extension pages for mini lessons4

2017-2018Staff Support

5

5

Summer 2017

● Benchmark Bootcamp for teachers new to

Benchmark or teachers who changed grade levels

since implementation

● New Teacher Faire - new-to-VUSD teachers

welcomed with information regarding Benchmark

resources

● Benchmark Reboot offered to VUSD teachers

6

6

Trimester 12017

● Home Hospital and Homestead support and training

● Demo lessons in classrooms focusing on integrating

technology with Benchmark

● Joint Professional Development with Math & Science

for teachers who compartmentalize

● Presentations at Staff Meetings

● 1:1 Planning support with teachers

● On site support for online testing and data review

● Strategic support for combination classes

● Monthly extensions for VUSD art lessons

7

7

Trimester 22017-18

● 1:1 Planning support with teachers

● On site support for online testing and data review

● NGSS alignment extension activities and demos

● Intervention teacher professional development series

focusing on differentiation & progress monitoring

● Language Arts website created with Benchmark section

for FAQ and how-to videos

● Principal training - differentiating in Benchmark

● Monthly extensions for VUSD art lessons

8

8

Trimester 32018

● 1:1 Planning support with teachers

● On site support for online testing and data review

● NGSS alignment extension activities and demos

● Intervention teacher professional development series

focusing on academic language

● K-data review/formative assessment workshops

● Benchmark SBAC Gear UP grades 3-5 workshops

● Engaging Students with Benchmark workshop

● Monthly extensions for VUSD art lessons

9

9

Parent Outreach

10

Ongoing Parent Support

● Parent Nights: ○ Sept ‘17○ Nov ‘17○ Jan ‘18○ Mar ‘18

● Offered in conjunction with new math curriculum

● AVID Night○ Feb ‘18

Outreach Night on how to help students develop literacy at home using Benchmark and other materials

● Activity Calendars -New parent component in Benchmark -Activity Calendars; working with sites to promote use for homework; supports EL students & struggling learners

11

11

Thanks!

12

Kinder Prep Program

VUSD Board of Education Meeting

February 27, 2018

The mission of the Ventura Neighborhood for

Learning (Ventura NfL) is to work with

families to provide culturally relevant early

learning experiences, access to health and

mental health services and family support

and education services for children aged

birth to 5, in Ventura.

The Ventura NfL provides enrichment,

advocacy and intervention during children’s

most important formative years so that they

may develop to their full potential.

The VNfL Mission Statement

2

FREE program for children entering VUSD transitional kindergarten or kindergarten in the fall who have not attended preschool

Session is 2 weeks, 8 AM – 12 PM

Dates: July 30th to August 10th

Locations: Citrus Glen, EP Foster, JuniperoSerra, Lincoln and Portola

Children may attend program at any of these sites regardless of boundary school

3

Registration starts March 14th during Kindergarten Registration

Obtain Registration Form from Elementary School Office

For more information contact Cathy Puccetti at 805-641-5000 ext. 1032

4

Kindergarten readiness

Following classroom routines

Social skills development

Name and word recognition

Basic literacy and numeracy skills

Reading readiness skills (phonemic awareness, rhyming, poems & songs)

Learning how to be a student

Positive first classroom experience5

For more information contact Cathy Puccetti

805-641-5000 ext. 1032

6

College & Career Seminar Course“Get Focused...Stay Focused!Ⓡ” Curriculum

CCS Course/Curriculum Preliminary Review

A Brief History of VUSD’s College & Career Seminar (CCS) Course

- One semester freshman course, required for graduation in VUSD

- VUSD CCS requirement began in 2016-17 with the class of 2020

- “Get Focused... Stay Focused!” curriculum, by Academic Innovations

- Adopted by all Ventura County Innovates (VCI) consortium districts

- UC/CSU approved college prep course (area g elective)

- CCS is a Dual Enrollment course; Three semester units of college credit

(transferable to UC/CSU) available

- Program includes three follow-up instructional modules (8-16 day lessons) -

sophomore through senior year, primarily “My10YearPlan” updates

2

Academic Innovations’ “Get Focused...Stay Focused” Program Claims:

1. Improvement in GPA, decreased D/F rate

2. Decrease in suspension rate

3. Increase in attendance rate

4. Improvement in “College and Career Readiness” for program graduates

a. Decrease in “Time-to-Degree” once enrolled in college

b. Increase in college enrollment, freshmen retention (Sophomore Enrollment)

c. Improvement in post-secondary engagement

i. Increase in trade/industry certification completion rate

ii. Increase in two/community college to four-year transfer rates

3

CCS Course/Curriculum Preliminary Review ProcedureOnline surveys administered to VUSD community…

Current Freshmen (Currently enrolled in CCS)

Current Sophomores (Enrolled in CCS course last year)

Parents of Freshmen and Sophomores (surveys in English and Spanish)

CCS Teachers, High School Administrators and Counselors

Data Comparison of …

5-Year GPA Average D/F Rate (2011-2016) vs. that of First Cohort, 2016-17

5-Year Average Attendance/Suspensions Rates (2011-2016) vs. First Cohort, 2016-17

4

Data Analysis; Average Periods Absent & Suspension Rates

First Freshmen CCS Cohort 2016-17

Comparison w/ Previous 5-Year Average:

Semester 1

Difference in Avg. # Periods Absent -

+.08 Periods (per student)

Difference in Suspension Rate -

+ .5%

Semester 2

Difference in Avg. # Periods Absent -

+1.5 Periods (per student)

Difference in Suspension Rate -

+1.1%5

My 10-Year Plan Completion Rates*VHS BHS ECHS FTHS VUSD

# enrolled for ‘16-’17: 525 411 38 276 1,250

# completed 100%: 208 191 19 21 439

# completed 90-99%: 89 82 9 141 321

# not at 100%: 317 220 19 255 811

% not at least at 90%: 43% 34% 26% 41% 39%

% at least at 90%: 57% 66% 74% 59% 61%

6

*Note: Data does not accurately represent completion #’s/% of

all college/career readiness activities by students; data entry

errors exists.

CCS Dual Enrollment; College Credit Earned

% of VUSD Freshmen 2016-17 Earning College Credit = 39%

7

Survey Results - Overall Feelings About the Course

Overall Feelings About the Course

Extremely

Positive Positive Uncertain Negative

Extremely

Negative

Parents (n=343) 20% 34% 23%(14%)* 16% 6%

54% (82%)* 22% (0%)*

Students (n=840) 8% 38% 16% 14% 8%

46% 24%

Admin/Counselors/Teachers (n=27) 15% 41% 33% 11% 0%

56% 11%

53% Unweighted

Group Average 24% avg.

19% Unweighted

Group Average

*Note: Spanish-only parent responses in parentheses

8

Survey Results - Feelings About the Course

Does the Course Help Students Take School More Seriously? Yes Uncertain No

Parents 33% 25% 41%

Students 42% 30% 26%

Does the Course Promote Student-Parent Conversations about Post-High School? Yes No

Parents 70% 30%

Students 90% 10%

9

Data Analysis; CCS Course Enrollment & GradesPercentage of 9th grade marks that were D or F by year

Year Semester 1 Semester 2

2011-2012 18% 18%

2012-2013 19% 20%

2013-2014 17% 18%

2014-2015 17% 17%

2015-2016 18% 17%

2011-2016 Five-Year Average 18% 18%

First Cohort of Students Enrolled in CCS 2016-2017 16% 16%

10

Data Analysis; CCS Course Enrollment & Grades

Percentage of 9th Grade Students receiving at least one D or F

Year Semester 1 Semester 2

2011-2012 43% 43%

2012-2013 44% 48%

2013-2014 42% 43%

2014-2015 41% 41%

2015-2016 44% 40%

2011-2016 Five-Year Average 43% 43%

First Cohort of Students Enrolled in CCS 2016-2017 40% 38%

11

Survey Results - Feelings About the CCS Course

Best Part of the Course Regardless of

Feelings Overall 1st Highest Selected 2nd Highest Selected

Parents Financial Literacy, 40% Career Exploration 23%

Students Financial Literacy, 50% Career Exploration, 48%

Admin/Counselors/Teachers Career Exploration, 30% Financial Literacy, 15%

12

“Get Focused... Stay Focused” 4-Year Program CostInitial Purchase of All Student Texts (Freshman Course Text, Follow-Up Module Consumables, etc.) =

Paid for by VC Innovates/California Careers Pathway Trust (CCPT) Grant

Initial Purchase of Classroom Set of Chromebooks for Freshman Course =

Paid for by VC Innovates/California Careers Pathway Trust (CCPT) Grant

Future/ Program Maintenance Costs:

The “Get Focused...” freshmen course online license is tied to the student workbook = $10.95 per student.

This is the same for the “...Stay Focused” follow-up module consumable workbooks = $7.95 per student.

$35 per student for all four years of the program; Rough Per School Estimates:

BHS ≅ $14,000 each school per year ($4,400 for freshman text, $9,600 for Sophomore/Junior/Senior Consumables)

VHS ≅ $14,000 each school per year ($4,400 for freshman text, $9,600 for Sophomore/Junior/Senior Consumables)

FTHS ≅ $10,500 per year ($3,300 for freshman text, $7,200 for Sophomore/Junior/Senior Consumables)

PHS ≅ $1,700 per year ($550 for “freshmen” text, $1,200 for Sophomore/Junior/Senior Consumables)

ECHS ≅ $1,700 per year ($550 for “freshmen” text, $1,200 for Sophomore/Junior/Senior Consumables)

13

Summary of Preliminary Data

Claim #1 - Improved Academic Engagement; Improved GPA, Decreased D/F Rate

Claim #2 - Decreased Suspension Rate

Claim #3 - Increased Attendance Rate

Claim #4 - Improvement in VUSD Graduates’ College and Career Readinessa. Increase in Dual Enrollment Credit (College Career Indicator on Dashboard)

Unable to be measured at this time:

a. Decreased “Time-to-Degree” Once Enrolled in College

b. Increased College Enrollment, Freshmen Retention (Sophomore Enrollment)

c. Improved Post-Secondary Engagement

i. Increase in Trade/Industry Certification Completion

ii. Increase in Two/Community College to Four-Year Transfer Rates

Parent Feedback

Student Feedback

Administrative/Teacher/Counselor Feedback

Key:

Green - Yes/Positive

Red - No/Negative

Yellow - Unknown 14

Thank You…

15