WE ARE CTA

325,000 MEMBERS STRONG

To access members-only content on cta.org, please sign in below. Register Now

loading...
Forgot?
Forgot?
Remember me

Testing and Standards

Print

What Should I Do First: A Checklist for Standards

 
Ask your site administrator for a copy of the academic standards for your grade level or subject area, if you do not already have them.
Check to see if your school or district has its own adopted academic standards. If so, request a copy. If these differ from the state standards, ask your administrator to which set of standards students will be held accountable.
Ask your site administrator or district about plans to provide staff development relating to the new standards. If there are none, request time for planning and training on this topic.
Prioritize. There are probably too many standards at your grade level or in your subject area for you to address them all thoroughly. Check last year's STAR test scores (both the SAT 9 and Augmentation) for your current students. If students at your school demonstrate significant areas of difficulty, you will need to address those areas first. Ask your administrator if your school or district has prioritized standards. If not, seek to prioritize them at the district or site level.
Meet with other teachers at your grade level or in your department to determine what lessons or instructional activities in your current curriculum will enable students to achieve the standards.Request the purchase of new textbooks and instructional materials that are aligned with the standards. There may be large gaps between the academic standards and your district-adopted materials.
Make plans to bring your grading system and criteria in line with the standards. Parents and students are perplexed when test scores indicate differing levels of academic achievement than letter grades.
Take the time to explain to parents the new academic standards and how you plan to address them. Back-to-school night or parent newsletters are good ways to accomplish this. Ask your school site council or principal if parent workshops on the standards are planned.
Keep track of how and when you cover academic standards during the course of the school year. Some teachers use different colors to highlight instructional activities or text pages relating to the subject area standards in their lesson plan books. This way, you'll be able to document how you covered the standards.

Government Action

Issues in Education

Parents & Community

Social Networks

Every child deserves a chance to learn and no child succeeds alone.

© 1999-2012 California Teachers Association

NEA California Teachers Association