PowerSchool Iowa Core Software
Implementation Guide/Steps
Target 1: Develop alignment expertise
Action 1: Learn about alignment processes to implement the Iowa Core
Step 1. Iowa Core lead teams engage in Iowa Core Implementation Self Study data analysis and development of
Iowa Core Implementation Plan. Determine that data analysis leads team to prioritize actions around Iowa Core
Outcome 4.
Step 2. Communicate priority and action plan to stakeholders.
Step 3. Provide learning opportunities for staff (community) members to develop understanding of alignment, the
difference between alignment process and data management, and that the purpose of alignment is to ensure that all
students have opportunities to learn the Iowa Core. (Theory and Rationale)
Target 2: Prepare to implement alignment processes and tools
Action 2: Select processes and tools
Step 4. District administrators/leaders explore data management systems and tools.
Step 5. Select PowerSchool Iowa Core as the data management system/tool to support curriculum alignment
efforts (Outcome 4) in your district.
Target 2: Action 3: Learn to use the processes and tools
(District contacts AEA 10 (Regional Administrator and/or Iowa Core Lead) who serve the district to plan for
implementation.)
Step 6. Identify district content/instructional leaders (lead teachers, department chairs/teams, Iowa Core content
leads, district content/curriculum support staff…) who will assume responsibility for initial data entry phase– prepopulation of intended curriculum per course.
Step 7. Identified staff members (district/building cadre) attend AEA PowerSchool learning sessions or arrange
for on-site sessions supported by GWAEA data management staff member(s) and Iowa Core alignment team
member(s).
Step 8. Provide opportunities for practice and initial data entry – time for identified staff members to receive
technical support prior to “formal” actions to pre-populate data into PowerSchool.
Target 3: Implement alignment processes and tools
Action 4: Implement alignment processes and tools
Step 9. Identified staff members pre-populate Iowa Core data into PowerSchool - engage in loading INTENDED
Iowa Core Essential Concepts and Skills for each course offering. This phase of the process will serve as a
“system” level of alignment between local expectations and those identified in the Iowa Core. The PowerSchool
program has capacity to create reports identifying essential concepts and skills that are not currently assigned
to courses. Reports are available at elementary, middle and high school levels.
Step 10. Set up learning sessions for teachers to prepare for teacher self-reporting of ENACTED Iowa Core
concepts and skill. (Learning facilitated by local team with support from AEA)
Step 11 : Teachers use the PowerSchool Iowa Core program to confirm, deny, and/or add essential concepts and
skills that they TAUGHT (enacted) in their courses during the recently completed semester or school year.
Step 12. Iowa Core Lead Team/administrators generate organized data reports for analysis to answer critical
alignment questions.
Target 3: Action 5: Use alignment data to help make decisions regarding alignment of enacted to intended
curriculum.
Step 13. Identify appropriate actions to rectify inconsistencies, redundancies, and gaps in learning opportunities
for all students.
Step 14. Continue the process until INTENDED Iowa Core essential concepts and skills are pre-populated for all
course offerings K-12 and teachers have engaged in summative self reporting of ENACTED curriculum for all
courses and sections.
Step 15. Initiate student-specific data reports to identify and address gaps in opportunities to learn to confirm
that all students learn Iowa Core essential concepts and skills.
Revised 12.13.10