Keystone Instructional Specialist

Keystone Exams • Offered three times each year – winter, spring and summer.• Offered in Algebra I, Biology and Literature.• Students can retake them until they score at the proficient level.• In lieu of the 11th Grade PSSA, Literature and Alg. 1, is a requirement for

AYP. Biology is an NCLB requirement. • Class of 2017 will be first graduating class for scoring proficiency on all of

the Keystone Exams – both a state and federal requirement. • A student who does not pass the Keystone Exam in 11th grade, and then

retakes the Keystone Exam their senior year, it does not go back to the AYP accounted for in 11th grade. It can affect their graduation requirement.

• The Project-Based Assessment part of the Keystones is being piloted.

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Who Takes the Keystones?

• All students in Grade 11 who have not already taken a Keystone Exam in Algebra I, Biology, and Literature

• All students who will complete a Biology course this school year

• All students who will complete an Algebra I course this year

• All students who will complete coursework that covers the content of the Literature Exam this year

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Keystones and Regulations

• Students must take the Keystone Exams to meet graduation requirements under Chapter 4 Regulations.

• Students must take the Keystone Exams to meet AYP requirements under NCLB.

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• Proposed state requirement that the class of 2017 and beyond demonstrate proficiency for the purpose of graduation

• Accountability as per No Child Left Behind (NCLB), i.e. Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)

Keystone Exams will be used for two purposes:

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Proposal

The purpose of a CIU # 10 Keystone Instructional Specialist is to support the graduation requirements for scoring proficiency on the Keystone Exams. The focus is to support school educators in preparing students for college and career opportunities.

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Goals• Provide highly qualified content-skilled teachers through

Central Intermediate Unit # 10• Support schools with limited staff capacity who are

unable to provide intensive instruction on their own• Integrate the concerted instructional efforts between the

designated students’ teachers and the Keystone Instructional Specialist

• Support the student retake success on the Keystone Exam and/or the Performance-Based Assessment

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Keystone Instructional Specialist and Content Teachers Closely Monitor Student

Performance

• Analyze Classroom Diagnostic Tools Assessments, along with other multiple measures to identify tools and strategies for monitoring student performance

• Develop a schedule specific to the individual needs of the student in conjunction with the student(s)’ data team. For example, a student takes the Algebra 1 Keystone Exam, but moves on to a different math course because of results from the Keystone Exam

• Efficiently analyzes assessments, with the content teacher, throughout the designated intervention

• Set up the Early Warning System to provide notification based on the specific needs of the student.

• Report during biweekly meetings results from the Keystone Instructional Specialist and the Content Teachers students who may need additional assistance

• Schedule One-to-One Conferences to encourage student accountability and continued progress

• Identify strategies for improving student success with the Student’s Team

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Benefits for Students • Provides specific and timely feedback designed to support

student learning

• Builds efficacy by bringing students into the process of their own learning

• Promotes goal setting by involving students in the learning process

• Provides students with opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge and skills

• Promotes partnering with teachers (e.g., One-to-One conferencing)

• Ensures that follow-up instruction is meaningful and aligns with student learning expectations

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Benefits for Teachers • Provides specific and timely feedback designed to support student

learning• Builds efficacy by bringing students into the process of their own

learning• Promotes goal setting by involving students in the learning

process• Provides students with opportunities to demonstrate their

knowledge and skills• Promotes partnering with teachers (e.g., One-to-One

Conferencing)• Ensures that follow-up instruction is meaningful and aligns with

student learning expectations

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Benefits for Schools • Supports an Intervention Program for students predicted to

struggle on the Keystone Exam, or has failed in one and/or two modules of the Keystone Exam

• Provides a highly qualified instructor to the district to support the content instructional team without needing to hire additional staff

• Focuses specifically on the designated students through the Keystone Instructional Specialist.

• Motivates students for success on the Keystone Exam and/or retake of the Keystone Exam

• Provides another highly qualified professional to closely plan, instruct, monitor, and support the intervention students

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Data Collection Tools Data Analysis Collection for Multiple Measure Summative (PSSA, Keystone Exams, Unit and Chapter Tests,…) Benchmark (4-Sight) Diagnostic (Classroom Diagnostic Tools – Keystone Instructional Specialist

will need to be set up as a User of the CDT from the participating school.) Formative (Variety) PVAAS Data – use the projections to identify students who need to

participate in an academic intervention

Team Initiated Problem-Solving (TIPS) Model Meeting Facilitator/Staff Sharing Coordinator Recorder Data Analyst Action Plan and Calendar Monitor

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Feedback from the Stakeholders

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Keystone Instructional Specialist Multi-District Costs

The per district cost will be determined by:1. Calculating the total cost of the service (teacher salary,

benefits, mileage) and dividing by the total hours of service provided thus determining the hourly rate.

2. Districts are then charged for the hours of actual service (direct service, consultation, meetings, etc.).

3. Fluctuations in the hourly rate will occur during the year as the initial hourly rate is based on anticipated hours of service to be provided versus actual hours of service provided.

4. Changes in caseload will impact the hourly rate.

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