PASL draft Task II
Contextual Information
a. The school district, in a fast-growing urban area with a population of over 900,000, serves nearly 77,000 students across 140 schools, with 29 high schools. Despite the city's growth rate of 1.82%, the district has faced a 20% student enrollment decline in the past five years. Its minority enrollment is 90%; and it is diverse: 65% Hispanic, 21% Black, 11% White, and 3% Other. Some 61% are economically disadvantaged, and 33.5% are Emergent Bilinguals. The graduation rate is 87%. The stated mission is "Preparing ALL students for success in college, career, and community leadership."
b. The high school, the city's oldest and largest with 2,300 students, has a 75% minority enrollment, with 65% Hispanic, 6% Black, 25% White, and 4% Other. Some 62% of students are economically disadvantaged, 10% are Emergent Bilinguals. Some 61% of students participate in the AP program. The graduation rate is 90%. The school's mission is to provide "a rigorous curriculum" so students are "ready for college, career, military, and community leadership."
c. The faculty consists of 135 teachers at various career stages, employing diverse teaching methods. A majority of teachers are AP trained, and all are provided leadership opportunities. Faculty diversity - 19% Hispanic, 20% Black, 61% White - does not yet mirror the student body's. Teachers aspire to a unifying vision: "One School, where everyone is valued, challenged to work hard, grow, and to be active participants in building a positive community."
Textbox 2.1.1
a. The individuals involved in developing the prioritized list of professional development (PD) needs were the Principal, the Post-Secondary Success (PSS) Specialist, an Assistant Principal, the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) Chair, and a Teacher. Since the ongoing PD was to ensure PPS for our Hispanic students, our largest and fastest growing demographic of students, this team was chosen to help focus our school on continuously improving for these students College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) awareness, relevance, options, enrollments, and outcomes. The individuals were selected for their educational expertise, their cultural ethos, and their linguistic abilities. The Principal provides the big picture and, while neither bilingual nor Hispanic, has developed a keen set of connections to our diverse community and district. The PSS Specialist, also neither Hispanic nor bilingual, curates our CCMR indicator options for all our students. The Assistant Principal self identifies as an Emergent Bilingual (EB) and Hispanic graduate of our district and provides EB and bilingual PD for our faculty. The LPAC Chair is also bilingual Hispanic is very well connected with our Hispanic community. The selected teacher is on the LPAC, like the AP, is an EB graduate of our district, a successful businessman before becoming a business teacher, one of the few Hispanic male educators in the school, whom many students see themselves in.
b. The process used to develop a prioritized list of PD needs aligned to the district and building goals was done through gathering data and research from multiple sources. The longitudinal data was from Campus Improvement Plans (CIPs), District Improvement Plans (DIPs), Post-Secondary Success (PSS) Office, district's Accountability and Data Quality (ADQ) department, and State Education Agency (SEA), revealing a widening CCMR indicator gap for our largest and fastest-growing student demographic, Hispanic learners. The research consulted was a selection of eight studies (2003-2021) investigating not only educational barriers faced by Hispanic students in PSS but also state and national success trends for Latinas and Latinos in CCMR.
c. The data collected aligned to building, district, and state goals was longitudinal. They appropriately included the CCMR options, the CCMR benchmarks and targets each year, the annual CCMR attainments by student demographic, from our PSS Office, and the state and national trends for college majors, for careers, and military service roles of Hispanic citizens.
d. The prioritized needs for PD addresses the goals of the district and building which aligns to the annual DIPs and CIPs. In the annual CIP has been our School Performance Objective 1, to "increase the percentage of Hispanic Grade 12 students attaining at least one CCMR indicator by graduation" each year.
Textbox 2.1.2
a. The professional development plan focuses on the explicit documentation of essential knowledge for Post Secondary Success and related skills for College, Career, and Military Readiness within course syllabi. This focus was chosen based on performance reports and teacher surveys indicating significant gaps in these areas, particularly affecting our Hispanic students.
b. The goal is to provide teachers with a structured approach to integrate essential knowledge for PSS and related skills for CCMR into their syllabi effectively. We will measure success by reviewing the enhanced syllabi, analyzing teacher feedback, and monitoring changes in student engagement and performance metrics.
c. The PD plan will improve instructional practices by guiding teachers on how to effectively annotate their syllabi with relevant knowledge and skills, enhancing student engagement and success by linking curriculum content more closely with their future academic and career paths.
d. Research by educational experts like Dr. Erin L. Castro, who emphasizes the importance of various CCMR options, and Dr. David M. Sparks, whose investigations around barriers to Latina students in STEM, supports our PD approach. Their work shows that explicitly connecting curriculum content to students' cultural and real-world contexts is critical and may significantly enhance engagement and learning outcomes (see artifact 2.1.2 Research Consulted).
e. The development was influenced by factors including budget limitations and existing teaching schedules. We utilized digital platforms and optimized existing resources to ensure the PD could be delivered effectively without incurring significant additional costs.
f. We involved bilingual educators, curriculum specialists, instructional technology experts, and English-Spanish translators. This team brings a mix of practical teaching experience, technical know-how, and language expertise. Their diverse skills ensure the PD is comprehensive, addressing pedagogical, technological, and linguistic aspects of curriculum enhancement. Their involvement is critical to ensuring that every teacher and student for every class has access to a bilingual curricular inventory of knowledge and skills for PSS and CCMR.
Textbox 2.2.1
a. We use targeted presentations, detailed email communications, and focused informational meetings to communicate the importance of highlighting how our rigorous curriculum leads to Postsecondary Success (PSS) and how such is relevant to our largest and fastest-growing demographic of our student body, relevant to Hispanic students. We used these communication techniques to demonstrate how to make explicit all merely implicit PSS knowledge and CCMR skills on each syllabus and to provide guidance in noting on that syllabus which explicit knowledge and skills taught and learned in the course have translated to successful roles of Hispanic graduates in college, careers, and military service. These strategies allowed for precise messaging about the PD’s objectives and ensured all teachers understood the benefits of their clarification of PSS knowledge and CCMR skills in their instructional practices.
a. We use targeted presentations, detailed email communications, and focused informational meetings to communicate the importance of highlighting how our rigorous curriculum leads to Postsecondary Success (PSS) and how such is relevant to our largest and fastest-growing demographic of our student body, relevant to Hispanic students. We used these communication techniques to demonstrate how to make explicit all merely implicit PSS knowledge and CCMR skills on each syllabus and to provide guidance in noting on that syllabus which explicit knowledge and skills taught and learned in the course have translated to successful roles of Hispanic graduates in college, careers, and military service. These strategies allowed for precise messaging about the PD’s objectives and ensured all teachers understood the benefits of their clarification of PSS knowledge and CCMR skills in their instructional practices.
b. All teachers responsible for courses with a syllabus were selected for this professional development to ensure comprehensive coverage and consistency in making PSS knowledge and CCMR skills explicit across all subjects and grade levels.
c. The PD was facilitated through a series of interactive workshops and guided syllabus review sessions. These methods were chosen to provide direct, hands-on training in identifying and highlighting relevant PSS knowledge and CCMR skills, ensuring all teachers are equipped to apply these changes uniformly.
d. Active engagement was promoted through interactive syllabus analysis activities, group discussions focusing on case studies, and peer feedback sessions. These strategies ensured teachers were not only recipients of information but active participants in learning and applying the PD content.
e. After the professional development, teachers and students participated in a schoolwide survey (see artifact 2.2.1). Each individual was required to read the syllabus of each of their courses and identify at least two explicit CCMR skills or points of PSS knowledge, which could be submitted in English or Spanish. This assignment was designed to ensure that all teachers, regardless of their background, actively join every student, particularly our largest demographic group, Hispanic students, in understanding how their courses are relevant to their future success in college, careers, and military service. The task reinforces the instructional updates made by teachers and highlights the curriculum's applicability to real-world pathways, enhancing both teaching effectiveness and student learning outcomes.
Textbox 2.3.1: Impact of Professional Development on Three Participants
a. For the walkthrough observations, I selected three PD participants, teachers from diverse disciplines, emphasizing different approaches to how curriculum content aligns with future success beyond high school. The choices included a new English teacher to see how early career educators implement real-world connections, an experienced math teacher to observe how longstanding curriculum integrates practical career skills, and a newly appointed philosophy teacher. The inclusion of philosophy aimed to demonstrate how PD can make subjects, traditionally not seen as directly applicable to career or postsecondary readiness—particularly for Hispanic students who may not typically see immediate relevance in philosophy—explicitly vital in developing critical thinking and ethical reasoning skills that are valuable in diverse educational and career paths. This selection strategy was designed to underscore the importance of all subjects, taught by teachers with varied experience, in fostering a comprehensive understanding of how our rigorous curriculum translates into real-world preparation and success for all students.
b. For follow-up, I scheduled individual sessions with each teacher to discuss their experiences and gather feedback. These discussions were invaluable for understanding how the PD influenced their teaching and for planning further support. The positive responses and the teachers’ enthusiasm for continued application of the PD principles confirmed the effectiveness of our approach and led to the creation of a collaborative platform for ongoing sharing and learning among faculty.
c. During the walk-throughs, the English teacher was observed integrating real-world connections into close readings of literary texts, prompting students to consider how their annotation skills might apply to different college courses they were looking forward to. This practical application reflects the PD’s emphasis on connecting academic skills with higher education. The Math teacher used real-life data in lessons, enhancing student understanding of mathematical concepts through practical application in fields such as engineering and technology. The Philosophy teacher's class was a review of the syllabus on the first day, and then it involved students in debates on ethical dilemmas in various vocations, showing how philosophical reasoning is vital in real-world decision-making, with a substantial exit ticket as a 5-paragraph essay (see artifacts 2.3.1 Walk-through Observation Form and 2.3.1 Student Work Sample). These observations highlight how the PD practically influenced teaching methods across different subjects.
d. The student work samples brought to the follow-up sessions showcased the direct impact of our professional development. In the English class, students had annotated texts useful in college course reading and writing across the higher education curriculum. Math students presented projects using statistical analysis to predict economic trends, demonstrating practical application of mathematical skills. Philosophy students debated real-world ethical issues in different trades, using philosophical frameworks to argue their positions, which shows a deep understanding of subject matter relevance to current global challenges.
a. For the walkthrough observations, I selected three PD participants, teachers from diverse disciplines, emphasizing different approaches to how curriculum content aligns with future success beyond high school. The choices included a new English teacher to see how early career educators implement real-world connections, an experienced math teacher to observe how longstanding curriculum integrates practical career skills, and a newly appointed philosophy teacher. The inclusion of philosophy aimed to demonstrate how PD can make subjects, traditionally not seen as directly applicable to career or postsecondary readiness—particularly for Hispanic students who may not typically see immediate relevance in philosophy—explicitly vital in developing critical thinking and ethical reasoning skills that are valuable in diverse educational and career paths. This selection strategy was designed to underscore the importance of all subjects, taught by teachers with varied experience, in fostering a comprehensive understanding of how our rigorous curriculum translates into real-world preparation and success for all students.
b. For follow-up, I scheduled individual sessions with each teacher to discuss their experiences and gather feedback. These discussions were invaluable for understanding how the PD influenced their teaching and for planning further support. The positive responses and the teachers’ enthusiasm for continued application of the PD principles confirmed the effectiveness of our approach and led to the creation of a collaborative platform for ongoing sharing and learning among faculty.
c. During the walk-throughs, the English teacher was observed integrating real-world connections into close readings of literary texts, prompting students to consider how their annotation skills might apply to different college courses they were looking forward to. This practical application reflects the PD’s emphasis on connecting academic skills with higher education. The Math teacher used real-life data in lessons, enhancing student understanding of mathematical concepts through practical application in fields such as engineering and technology. The Philosophy teacher's class was a review of the syllabus on the first day, and then it involved students in debates on ethical dilemmas in various vocations, showing how philosophical reasoning is vital in real-world decision-making, with a substantial exit ticket as a 5-paragraph essay (see artifacts 2.3.1 Walk-through Observation Form and 2.3.1 Student Work Sample). These observations highlight how the PD practically influenced teaching methods across different subjects.
d. The student work samples brought to the follow-up sessions showcased the direct impact of our professional development. In the English class, students had annotated texts useful in college course reading and writing across the higher education curriculum. Math students presented projects using statistical analysis to predict economic trends, demonstrating practical application of mathematical skills. Philosophy students debated real-world ethical issues in different trades, using philosophical frameworks to argue their positions, which shows a deep understanding of subject matter relevance to current global challenges.
Textbox 2.4.1 Reflecting on Building-level Professional Development
a. The feedback from the follow-up survey demonstrates the effectiveness of the professional development, which was focused on making PSS and CCMR skills explicit within course syllabi. Participants rated the clarity of the PD goals, the applicability of the content to their teaching, and the overall impact on their instructional practices highly, with average scores above 4.2 on a 5-point scale. Comments from teachers highlighted the practical benefits of the PD, with one stating, "The structured approach to noting CCMR skills in our syllabi has made these concepts much clearer for both me and my students." Another noted, "The workshop on annotating syllabi was instrumental in helping me align my teaching with our college and career readiness goals."
b. To enhance the effectiveness of future professional development sessions, several modifications are considered. Firstly, extending the PD to include more iterative review and feedback sessions would allow teachers to refine their syllabus annotations based on real-time student feedback and peer review. Secondly, involving a broader range of subject teachers in the development and facilitation of the PD could ensure that all course syllabi, not just those traditionally linked to CCMR outcomes, are effectively addressed. Finally, establishing a regular schedule of classroom visits and peer observations would facilitate ongoing exchange of best practices and support the embedding of PD learnings into daily teaching practices.
c. This PD experience underscores the critical role of continuous, data-driven professional learning in addressing specific educational outcomes. By regularly collecting and analyzing both teacher and student feedback on the revised syllabi, the school can better tailor PD to meet the evolving needs of our teachers and students. Moreover, fostering an environment of collaboration and peer support through structured professional learning communities would enhance the sustainability of the PD's impact, ensuring that the integration of CCMR skills into syllabi becomes a cornerstone of instructional practice across all departments.
d. The long-term impact of this PD on our school culture could be profound. By equipping teachers to explicitly integrate CCMR skills into their syllabi, the PD not only enhances the academic rigour of our courses but also ensures that all students, particularly our Hispanic students, see clear connections between their coursework and future success. This alignment can increase student engagement and motivation, potentially leading to improved academic outcomes and reduced achievement gaps. Over time, as these practices become embedded within the school’s teaching ethos, they will foster a more inclusive and supportive educational environment, where every student is prepared to succeed in their chosen postsecondary paths.
