CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS
Ensuring Success for All Students
2008-2009
Vision Statement
The commitment to excellence is the hallmark of the Irvine Unified School District.
As a school and community partnership, our promise is to provide the highest
quality educational experience we can envision.
To meet the vision of commitment to excellence, we continuously evaluate and improve
our current practices. This document is intended as a roadmap, helping us "provide the
highest quality educational experience we can envision," and is based on the following
premises.
We believe:
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All students are eager to learn and succeed.
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The environment in the classroom should foster the joy of learning.
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In a collaborative environment, classroom teachers have primary responsibility for
the learning of all students assigned to their classrooms.
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Flexible groupings should be used to accommodate the learning needs and styles of
all students to enable them to achieve at their highest level.
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The most effective instructional practices foster higher-order thinking, critical
analysis, clear communication, and inquiry.
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There is an integral connection between academic progress and personal/social
progress.
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Students who are retained do no better than their counterparts who are promoted.
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Differentiated practices and instruction support learning for all (one size fits few).
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Professional development and commitment to the IUSD Continuous Improvement
Efforts are essential for ongoing success and are more effective when they are the
shared responsibility among the staff members, the school, and the district.
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Students are more successful in school when their parents and the school act in
partnership.
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Students learn best when they are physically fit and healthy.
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ANNUAL TARGETS
The Continuous Improvement Efforts provide a guide for individual schools, as well as district office
staff, to use in developing Site Plans for Program Improvement each year. Schools are expected to
include, in their annual plan, the district-wide targets and school-wide targets adopted by School Site
Councils.
District-wide Target: Improve the learning for each individual student as schools use evidence of
learning to inform instruction, evaluate programs, implement a supportive school climate, and implement
effective teaching strategies in order to prepare students for their future. Instruction shall focus on
attainment of state standards as well as but not limited to higher level mind work, leadership, problem
solving, and asking critical questions.
School-wide Targets:
Each school is asked to identify one or more school-wide area(s) of improvement of student
learning with targets for each instructional team and/or department that support the school-wide
efforts. Examples may include developing professional learning communities, focusing on
intervention efforts for students who are not achieving proficiency in all areas of the curriculum,
school-wide instructional practice, etc.
When selecting an area to focus improvement efforts upon, schools should:
• incorporate the use of data to evaluate current program effectiveness
• determine the extent to which teaching, learning, assessments, and materials are aligned to
content standards
• modify instruction based on formative (ongoing) and summative (culminating)
assessments and State Frameworks and classroom evidence
• ensure that all students acquire the academic competencies appropriate for their level that
are needed to prepare them to transition successfully beyond IUSD
• identify and implement models of intervention for students not yet achieving standards
Appendix A provides current school and district practices and initiatives as references to assist
school communities in developing improvement plans.
Individual Teacher Targets:
In addition to the school-wide targets, each teacher is asked to select a target toward personal
growth that supports school and/or departmental targets and would lead to improved learning of
his or her students.
We recognize that effective classroom practices in teaching, and assessment, those which reflect
both research and district philosophy, are the best way to ensure that student learning is enhanced.
These practices, already in place in many classrooms across the district, help us keep our balance
and prepare our students for the future they face.
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The California Standards for the Teaching Profession are based on current research and expert
advice pertaining to best teaching practice. The Standards are organized around six interrelated
categories of teaching practice. The six standards are:
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Engaging and Supporting All Students in Learning
Creating and Maintaining Effective Environments for Student Learning
Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Planning Instruction and Designing Learning Experiences for All Students
Assessing Student Learning
Developing as a Professional Educator
Together these six standards represent a developmental, holistic view of teaching, and are intended
to meet the needs of diverse teachers and students in California.
(See Appendix B for complete list of California Standards for the Teaching Profession.)
PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT PROCESS
The importance of making time available for professional development and for staff work in each
continuous improvement effort cannot be overstated and is the shared responsibility among the staff
member, school, and the district. Successful program improvement will include the following:
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collaborating
extending the shared expertise of staff
upgrading and extending the skills of all staff
developing an annual site-based staff development plan
articulating the curriculum across school levels
building the capacity of each teacher in implementing California Standards for the Teaching
Profession
collecting and analyzing data
providing a safe and orderly learning environment
administering common assessments
PARENTS AS PARTNERS
Continuous improvement efforts typically increase both the complexity and sophistication of the work of
the school, classroom teachers, and students. The importance of having parents as partners in this work
cannot be overestimated. Our student learning results will be enhanced through:
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providing information on continuous improvement efforts
extending strategies for parents to be meaningfully involved in their student's learning
creating opportunities at each school for ongoing parent dialogue about teaching and learning
increasing reading time at home
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APPENDIX A
SCHOOL AND DISTRICT PRACTICES
Initiatives 2008-09
CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION
Curriculum
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Align teaching, learning, and materials to content standards.
Modify instruction based on formative and summative assessments and State Frameworks.
Articulate content standards and assessment data across grade levels.
Provide an appropriately challenging curriculum for all students that fosters higher order thinking.
Instruction
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Ensure that students have the academic competencies needed to prepare them for success beyond
high school.
Support teachers as they refine their implementation of the content standards.
Develop model instructional units that integrate technology, using web-based and other distance
learning options when appropriate.
Support the development of individual student interests, talents, strengths and capacities,
particularly in those students who struggle to meet content standards.
Differentiate instruction so that each student maximizes his/her learning potential.
Identify and implement models of intervention for students not yet achieving standards.
Modify classroom instruction to accommodate students with special needs.
Provide direct, explicit instruction in each content area to enable students to read and understand
the textbook and other written documents specific to that discipline.
Assign homework for students that is clear in its purpose.
Define and teach all students the skills necessary to question, analyze, interpret, and evaluate
information.
Utilize a variety of flexible groupings to enable each student to learn at an optimal level.
Improve teacher content knowledge and instructional strategies in all disciplines.
Assessment for Continuous Improvement
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Use data from standards-based assessments, [e.g., California Standards Tests (CST), California
High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE), Irvine On-line Assessment (IOLA)], as well as evidence from
teachers, students, and parents to plan for program improvement.
Use on-going results from multiple assessments to design and/or modify instruction.
Use data from on-line assessments to ensure that all students have equal access to all the content
standards in each core curricular area each year.
Encourage teachers to develop complex performance tasks designed to ensure high powered
learning.
Encourage descriptive feedback for students about their performance on complex tasks.
Develop staff expertise in analyzing assessment data from a variety of sources to improve student
learning.
Collect data and evaluate effectiveness of IUSD intervention programs on improving student
learning.
Use technology as a tool to manage and access student data to inform instruction and assessment.
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Assessment for Accountability
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Use data from standards-based assessments (e.g., CST, CAHSEE) to evaluate current program
effectiveness.
Inform the community about the evidence of learning resulting from quality curriculum and
instruction.
Provide opportunities for all students to learn content standards as the most effective means of test
preparation.
CONTENT AREAS
English/Language Arts/Reading
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Use the English/Language Arts content standards as the curricular platform to align curriculum,
assessment, and instruction.
Provide a balanced, comprehensive program for the teaching and learning of reading, writing,
listening, and speaking.
Provide targeted intervention or remediation for students performing below proficiency in reading
and/or writing.
Explicitly teach the specific reading and writing skills necessary for success in English, Social
Science, Math, and Science.
Ensure that students have the academic competencies in reading and writing needed to prepare
them for success beyond IUSD.
Define and teach all students the skills necessary to question, analyze, interpret, and evaluate
information.
Health
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Implement with efficacy the K-12 health curriculum that focuses on health-related knowledge,
skills, attitudes, and behaviors through instruction in personal health (mental and emotional),
consumer and community health, injury prevention and safety, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs,
nutrition, environmental health, family living, individual growth and development, and
communicable and chronic diseases.
Create a healthy and health literate K-12 school environment that supports students in improving
their health, fitness, and wellness throughout life.
History/Social Science
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Use the History/Social Science content standards as the curricular platform to align curriculum,
assessment, and instruction.
Provide a balanced, comprehensive program in History/Social Science.
Prepare students to be contributing citizens and to participate actively in social and political issues.
Develop critical thinking and analysis skills through application and integration of both the
content standards and the historical analysis standards identified in the History/Social Science
Framework.
Support students’ understanding of the relevance of history to their lives today.
Ensure that all students have the opportunity to learn and apply skills in historical research,
analysis, and writing.
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Mathematics
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Provide a balanced, comprehensive program for the teaching and learning of all five strands of
mathematical knowledge as delineated in the California Mathematics Framework.
Use the Mathematics content standards as the curricular platform to align curriculum, instruction,
and assessment, but focus instruction on inquiry-based higher-order thinking and problem-solving
skills.
Develop a deep conceptual understanding of mathematics.
Provide frequent opportunities for students to learn and use the processes of mathematical
reasoning and mathematical communication.
Develop students' understanding of number sense concepts as the foundation for higher-level
mathematics.
Improve teacher content knowledge and instructional strategies in mathematics.
Use data to evaluate and improve the instructional program in mathematics in grades K-12.
Ensure that students have the academic competencies in math needed to prepare them for success
beyond IUSD.
Encourage the adoption of instructional materials in math that promote the use of technology.
Ensure all students become proficient with basic computation.
Implement strategies and interventions for non-proficient math students.
Encourage teachers to use homework as a means of reinforcing basic skills and concepts
previously taught in class.
Physical Education
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Develop and implement a comprehensive standards-based K-12 physical education program.
Support K-12 teachers while they incorporate the Physical Education Standards and align their
instruction to these standards.
Science
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Teach science in order to promote curiosity and a sense of wonder, encourage lifelong exploration,
and to provide a foundation for understanding the natural world.
Engage students in hands-on, minds-on science learning experiences that enable them to develop a
personal sense of the physical world and to solve problems.
Use the Science content standards as the curricular platform to align curriculum, instruction, and
assessment.
Provide a balanced, comprehensive program for the teaching and learning of all four disciplines of
scientific knowledge as delineated in the California Science Framework.
Create a balanced, comprehensive approach that includes direct instruction of science content, the
reading of informational text, vocabulary development, and investigation and experimentation
skills.
Build capacity in K-8 teachers in the areas of hands-on, inquiry-based learning and in reading and
writing in science.
Use data from the California Standards Tests in Science to inform instructional practices and
refine curriculum.
Increase the use of technology in science labs.
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Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA)
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Provide specific, ongoing staff development in the content areas and across subjects.
Use the VAPA content standards as the curricular platform to align curriculum, assessment, and
instruction throughout grades K-12.
Provide a comprehensive, coherent structure for visual and performing arts teaching and learning.
Create a balanced, comprehensive approach to teaching and curriculum that includes all five
strands as defined in the California State Framework for Visual and Performing Arts, direct
instruction of arts content, the reading of informational text and abstract content language as
needed in each discipline, vocabulary development, and performance and review both in the
classroom and public displays.
Use data from assessment of student work as essential to a standard-based program in the arts that
will inform instructional practices and refine curriculum.
Expand the emphasis on using new media and electronic technology in the arts.
World / Foreign Languages
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Use the World / Foreign Language content standards as the curricular platform to align
curriculum, assessment, and instruction to ensure vertical alignment.
Provide a balanced, comprehensive program for the teaching and learning of world/ foreign
language as defined by the California World / Foreign Language Standards.
Develop reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in the target language.
Develop an awareness of different cultures.
STUDENT SUPPORT
Developing People and Building Community
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Support school culture and individual actions that promote positive behavior and district core
ethical values (honesty, responsibility, compassion, perseverance, respectfulness, cooperation,
civic duty, and courage).
Address ethical issues surrounding the integrity of student work, testing, and uses of technology.
Foster practices that create safe campus environments and plan for crisis and emergency
situations.
Make available information about community service opportunities.
Provide staff with the tools necessary for teaching all students the skills and strategies to celebrate
diversity, and manage conflict for constructive outcomes, e.g., negotiation, listening, point of
view, anger management.
Encourage staff to model core ethical values, healthy lifestyles, positive communication with the
community, and conflict management skills.
Provide students and families with access to the resources available to support mental, physical,
and emotional health.
Provide a counseling program to support students in academics, personal/social development, and
careers.
Support students who demonstrate high risk behavior.
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English Learners Program
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Continue to develop district-wide standards-based K-12 ELD curriculum, including text and
materials selection, with teacher training to implement more effective instruction in ELD.
Provide English Learners with access to core curriculum, standards-based instruction using
SDAIE strategies and materials designed to achieve student success and academic language
acquisition.
Strengthen interdepartmental collaboration for special education identified EL students.
Continue to find opportunities to educate the parent community.
Linking Student Work to Careers
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Support career awareness experiences for students at upper grade, middle school, and high school.
Integrate career connections into high school courses.
Special Education
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Provide students with appropriate accommodations and modifications of core curriculum that
allow these students to achieve goals and objectives aligned to the content standards.
Support general education and special education staff with strategies to modify classroom
instruction and accommodate students with special needs.
Emphasize intensive early intervention with research-based practices that have been proven to
help students learn.
Improve the knowledge of support staff to a level of mastery in the areas of all core curricular
instruction, development of social language skills, and management of students with severe
behavioral needs.
Strengthen partnerships with parents and community resources that broaden school and
community-based instructional opportunities for students.
Support teachers to differentiate their instruction to meet the needs of all learners in their
classrooms.
Provide appropriately challenging curriculum for GATE and high achieving students through the
implementation of the California GATE standards.
Technology
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Expect students to demonstrate effective use of the computer as a tool in accessing, selecting,
analyzing, and presenting information.
Emphasize the use of technology that improves learning.
Use technology as a tool for more effective use of teacher time.
Develop model instruction units that integrate technology (based on IUSD Technology Standards),
using web-based and other distance learning options when appropriate.
Use technology as a tool to facilitate communication.
Continue to support and effectively utilize technology mentors.
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APPENDIX B
CALIFORNIA STANDARDS FOR THE TEACHING PROFESSION
STANDARD FOR ENGAGING AND SUPPORTING ALL STUDENTS LEARNING
Teachers:
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build on students' prior knowledge, life experience, and interests to achieve learning goals for all
students.
use a variety of instructional strategies and resources that respond to students' diverse needs.
facilitate challenging learning experiences for all students in environments that promote
autonomy, interaction and choice.
actively engage all students in problem solving and critical thinking within and across subject
matter areas that make subject matter meaningful.
teach concepts and skills in ways that encourage students to apply them in real-life contexts that
make subject matter meaningful.
assist all students to become self-directed learners who are able to demonstrate, articulate, and
evaluate what they learn.
STANDARD FOR CREATING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE ENVIRONMENTS FOR STUDENT LEARNING
Teachers:
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create physical environments that engage all students in purposeful learning activities and
encourage constructive interactions among students.
maintain safe learning environments in which all students are treated fairly and respectfully as
they assume responsibility for themselves and one another.
encourage all students to participate in making decisions and in working independently and
collaboratively.
set expectations for student behavior are established early, clearly understood, and consistently
maintained.
make effective use of instructional time as they implement class procedures and routines that
support student learning.
STANDARD FOR UNDERSTANDING AND ORGANIZING SUBJECT MATTER FOR STUDENT LEARNING
Teachers:
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exhibit strong working knowledge of subject matter and student development.
organize curriculum to facilitate students' understanding of the central themes, concepts, and skills
in the subject area.
interrelate ideas and information within and across curricular areas to extend students'
understanding.
develop student understanding through instructional strategies that are appropriate to the subject
matter.
use their knowledge of student development, subject matter, instructional resources, and teaching
strategies to make subject matter accessible to all students.
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STANDARD FOR PLANNING INSTRUCTION AND DESIGNING LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR ALL STUDENTS
Teachers:
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plan instruction that draws on and values students' backgrounds, prior knowledge, and interests.
establish challenging learning goals for all students based on student experience, language,
development, and home and school expectations.
sequence curriculum and design long-term and short-range plans that incorporate subject matter
knowledge, reflect grade-level curriculum expectations, and include a repertoire of instructional
strategies.
use instructional activities that promote learning goals and connect with student experiences and
interests.
modify and adjust instructional plans according to student engagement and achievement.
STANDARD FOR ASSESSING STUDENT LEARNING
Teachers:
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establish and clearly communicate learning goals for all students.
collect information about student performance from a variety of sources.
involve all students in assessing their own learning.
use information from a variety of ongoing assessments to plan and adjust learning opportunities
that promote academic achievement and personal growth for all students.
exchange information about student learning with students, families, and support personnel in
ways that improve understanding and encourage further academic progress.
STANDARD FOR DEVELOPING AS A PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR
Teachers:
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reflect on their teaching practice and actively engage in planning their professional development.
establish professional learning goals, pursue opportunities to develop professional knowledge and
skill, and participate in the extended professional community.
learn about and work with local communities to improve their professional practice.
communicate effectively with families and involve them in student learning and the school
community.
contribute to school activities, promote school goals, and improve professional practice by
working collegially with all school staff.
balance professional responsibilities and maintain motivation and commitment to all students.
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2008-09 Curriculum Council Members
Rick Blazer, Assistant Principal, South Lake Middle School
Nancy Bower, Principal, Westwood Basics
Scott Bowman, Principal, Rancho San Joaquin Middle School
Irene Brady, Coordinator, Assessment
Nancy Colocino, Coordinator, Guidance Resources
Jeanie Fritzsche, Coordinator, Language Arts/Social Science
Steve Garretson, Director, Information Technology
Dennis Gibbs, Director, Elementary Education
Patsy Janda, Assistant Principal, University High School
Michael Kassarjian, Math Teacher, Northwood High School
John Kessler, Social Science Teacher, University High School
Bob King, English Teacher, Irvine High School
Kathy Koss, Primary Teacher, Brywood
Chris Krebs, Science Teacher, Woodbridge High School
Liz Krogsdale, Program Specialist, Special Education
Jeannie Loso, World Language Teacher, Northwood High School
Stan Machesky, Principal (K-8), Plaza Vista
Lucinda Mroch, Upper Grade, Northwood
Rebecca Nakagawa, Upper Grade Teacher, Plaza Vista
Allie Nixon, Principal, Culverdale
Marcia Noonan, Coordinator, Health Services
Linda O’Neal, Coordinator, Career Link
Cassie Parham, Assistant Superintendent, Education Services
Lisa Richardson, Primary Teacher, Meadow Park
Debbie Rugani, IPSF Representative
Mark Sontag, Coordinator, Math/Science
Brad Van Patten, Coordinator, Fine/Performing Arts
Jason Viloria, Assistant Principal, Woodbridge High School
Toni Wilson, TOSA, Primary Literacy
Melodee Zamudio, Coordinator, Language Minority
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