Activity Directions: Gather Data on Alignment

Purpose

Use a student work protocol to examine student work and analyze the alignment of curriculum and instruction to academic standards.

Time

60 minutes or more 

Preparation

1. Schedule educator teams to participate in this activity. 
2. Review the protocols below and select one for the team’s needs or questions. Prepare to facilitate this protocol.
3. Identify educator(s) who will bring samples of student work and accompanying pieces of curriculum to be examined in the protocol. Communicate clearly and ensure they provide what is needed.
4. Ensure all participants have access to:
   1. Samples of student work
   2. Any accompanying resources necessary for the protocol, as identified in the protocol.  This could include:
5. pieces of curriculum (ie lesson/unit plans, instructional materials, rubrics, assessments
6. list of assessed standards and benchmarks
7. Any note-taking or analysis tools provided for using the protocol

Directions

1. Facilitate one of the following protocols.
2. Identify next steps and follow up with each team with support.
   1. Next steps could include revising and updating curriculum alignment resources. 
3. Capture data that results from the protocol (such as places of mis-alignment, necessary revisions to curriculum materials, etc.) as necessary for leadership team analysis.

Option 1: EQuIP Student Work Protocol

The EQuIP Student Work Protocol is “designed to establish or articulate the relationship between student work and the quality and alignment of instructional materials that previously have been reviewed using the EQuIP quality review process.” Achieve provides the protocol itself as well as wrap-around materials. The protocol guides teams through five steps:

• Step 1: Analyze the Task 
• Step 2: Examine Instructional Context and Standards Alignment of the Task 
• Step 3: Analyze Individual Student Work 
• Step 4: Analyze the Collection of Student Work 
• Step 5: Provide Suggestions for Improving the Materials

Note: While the protocol materials refer to Common Core State Standards (CCSS) throughout, the Minnesota Academic Standards for the relevant content area should be used instead.

Option 2: Examining Student Work Protocol

This protocol guides educators to examining student work from a unit of study, including performance assessments, to examine the evidence of learning present and its alignment to academic standards and benchmarks. It is adapted from processes used by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority., Education Trust, and the Perpich Center for Arts Education. This protocol includes three resources:

• Handout: Examining Student Work Protocol Guide
• Handout: Presenting Teacher Tool
• Handout: Panel Tool

Sources

Achieve. EQuIP Student Work Protocol. Retrieved 8/23/19 from https://www.achieve.org/our-initiatives/equip/all-equip-resources/student-work-protocol/student-work-protocol

The Education Trust. Standards in Practice: Instructional Gap Analysis Strategy, Aligning Instructions with Standards and Assessments. (2009). Retrieved 8/23/19 from https://edtrust.org/resource/standards-in-practice-instructional-gap-analysis-strategy-aligning-instructions-with-standards-and-assessments/

Perpich Center for Arts Education. Perpich Arts Integration Network of Teachers Student Work Protocol. (2015). 

Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority. P–12 assessment and moderation resources. Retrieved 8/23/19 from https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/about/k-12-policies/student-assessment/p-12-resources