Writing

Writing Program Review

The goal of a writing program is to develop writers. In understanding some programs for students do not offer themselves to paper and pencil assessments, an annual self-assessment of a school’s writing program provides an opportunity for considering how well a school is meeting the different aspects of the program and formatively analyzing areas of strength and areas of growth.

The focus of the program review is on program improvement. Consider the program through the lens of its four purposes. The program review is intended to:

• Improve the quality of teaching and learning for all students in all programs.
• Allow equitable access for all students to provide experiences that contribute to becoming well-rounded, productive citizens.
• Allow student demonstration of understanding beyond a paper-and-pencil test.
• Ensure a school-wide natural integration of the program skills across all contents, beyond the program area.

The Program Review Rubric, for all five programs, is divided into four standards: Curriculum and Instruction, Formative and Summative Assessment, Professional Learning and Leadership: Support and Monitoring.

Each of the standards is marked by demonstrators that help identify a strong, successful program. When reviewing a program, consider the demonstrators as the over-arching strengths of a standard within a program. The demonstrators comprise the focus of the program. Each demonstrator has a set of characteristics to assist schools in identifying the strengths and areas of growth related to that demonstrator. These specific characteristics for demonstrators assist in decision making for continuous improvement and in determining scores for the demonstrators.

Standard One: Curriculum and Instruction
Demonstrator One: Student Access – All students have equitable access to high quality writing curriculum and instruction. Full implementation of a writing curriculum encompasses reading, speaking, listening and language opportunities.
Characteristic A: The school provides equitable access for all students through intentionally scheduling time within the instructional day for writing instruction/experiences.
Characteristic B: All students have equitable access to planned learning opportunities that occur naturally across content areas to explore ideas and design products.
Characteristic C: All students have equitable access to a variety of resources and materials that are relevant and necessary to support their needs to grow as writers.
Characteristic D: All students have equitable access to instruction of the complex processes, concepts and principles of literacy using differentiated strategies that make instruction accessible.
Characteristic E: All students have equitable access to literacy opportunities provided by collaborations between teachers and collaborations with community, business and postsecondary partners.
Characteristic F: All students have equitable access to intentionally planned, natural cross-curricular instruction that is culturally responsive; and includes authentic, applied literacy experiences.
Not Meeting Expectation	Meeting Expectation*	Exceeding Expectation
The school is NOT Meeting the Expectation for the demonstrator: 0-3 characteristics	The school is Meeting the Expectation for the demonstrator: 4-5 characteristics *Must include A, B, D & E	The school is Exceeding the Expectation for the demonstrator: 6 out of 6 characteristics
Demonstrator Two: Aligned and Rigorous Curriculum – An aligned and rigorous curriculum provides access to the Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS) for all students as defined by state standards. Full implementation of a writing curriculum encompasses reading, speaking, listening and language opportunities.
Characteristic A: The enacted writing curriculum is aligned vertically and horizontally to the Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS).
Characteristic B: The enacted writing curriculum is reviewed annually and revised as needed.
Characteristic C: The school’s writing curriculum provides opportunities for students to apply technology effectively as a tool throughout the entire writing process, not to simply use word processing for final copies.
Characteristic D: Teachers consistently collaborate with others to plan and implement an aligned and rigorous writing curriculum for all students.
Not Meeting Expectation	Meeting Expectation*		Exceeding Expectation
The school is NOT Meeting the Expectation for the demonstrator: 0-1 characteristic	The school is Meeting the Expectation for the demonstrator: characteristics *Must include A & B		The school is Exceeding the Expectation for the demonstrator: 4 out of 4 characteristics
Demonstrator Three: Student Performance – All students have opportunities to participate in performances and display products.
Characteristic A: Students craft (through writing) communications distinctive to specific disciplines and purposes.
Characteristic B: Students demonstrate, through the strands of literacy (speaking, listening, reading, writing and language use), an understanding for cultural differences (audience awareness) and work effectively with people from a range of social and cultural backgrounds (face-to-face or virtually) to build on and articulate their own ideas.
Characteristic C: Students learn to work together with teachers, peers and others, whether face to face, or virtually, to problem-solve and generate a variety of products/outcomes tied to curriculum and learning goals.
Not Meeting Expectation	Meeting Expectation*			Exceeding Expectation
The school is NOT Meeting the Expectation for the demonstrator: 0-1 characteristic	The school is Meeting the Expectation for the demonstrator: 2 characteristics* *Must include A & B			The school is Exceeding the Expectation for the demonstrator: 3 out of 3 characteristics

Standard Two: Formative and Summative Assessment
Demonstrator: Assessments/Expectations for student learning – Teachers use multiple assessment processes to inform, guide, develop and revise instructional strategies and curriculum to enhance student learning and achievement. Teachers communicate high expectations and use common standards for student learning.
Characteristic A: Teachers use on-going formative and summative assessments that are clearly aligned to the Kentucky Academic Standards for individual students and groups to authentically measure a specific concept, understanding and/or skill that leads to student growth.
Characteristic B: Teachers guide and assist students in developmentally or grade level appropriate peer reviews and critiques to evaluate each other’s work.
Characteristic C: Teachers provide regular and meaningful opportunities for students to revise and apply new learning before summative products are assessed.
Characteristic D: Teachers, peers and others (principals, community members, support staff, etc.) provide timely and constructive feedback on students’ products as part of a constructive feedback process.
Characteristic E: Teachers regularly and consistently utilize exemplars/models to encourage students to demonstrate characteristics of rigorous work in instructional lessons.
Characteristic F: Teachers use and share with their students, learning targets and objectives aligned to state standards.
Characteristic G: Teachers use rubrics/scoring guides that are clearly defined; students have input on success criteria and/or rubrics when appropriate.
Characteristic H: Teachers and students collaborate to set goals that are standards-based and informed by feedback and assessment.
Not Meeting Expectation	Meeting Expectation*		Exceeding Expectation
The school is NOT Meeting the Expectation for the demonstrator: 0-5 characteristics	The school is Meeting the Expectation for the demonstrator: 6-7 characteristics *Must include A, C, D, E, F & G		The school is Exceeding the Expectation for the demonstrator: 8 out of 8 characteristics
Standard Three: Professional Learning
Demonstrator: Opportunity and Participation – Professional learning opportunities are planned according to the Kentucky Standards for Professional Learning. The teachers’ learning needs are kept in mind in response to data available about current teacher practice and student learning in the context of the components and indicators of effectiveness in The Framework for Teaching. In this standard, school leadership is defined as SBDM/principal/principal designee.
Characteristic A: School leadership ensures regular and consistent access to job-embedded and program specific professional learning opportunities in writing.
Characteristic B: School leadership allocates regular and consistent time, within the school calendar, for teachers to collaborate on programmatic improvements and to exchange ideas about the writing program with other writing educators.
Characteristic C: Teachers choose and participate in regular, relevant professional learning opportunities (content cadres, PLCs, workshops, etc.) on a consistent basis to increase teacher effectiveness in writing.
Characteristic D: School leadership participates in professional learning (writing) alongside teachers.
Not Meeting Expectation	Meeting Expectation*	Exceeding Expectation
The school is NOT Meeting the Expectation for the demonstrator: 0-1 characteristic	The school is Meeting the Expectation for the demonstrator: 2-3 characteristics *Must include A & B	The school is Exceeding the Expectation for the demonstrator: 4 out of 4 characteristics

Standard Four: Leadership: Support and Monitoring
Demonstrator: Policies & Monitoring – School leadership establishes and monitors implementation of policies, provides adequate resources, facilities, space and instructional time to support effective instructional programs. In this standard, school leadership is defined as SBDM/principal/principal designee.
Characteristic A: School leadership ensures writing teachers have the opportunity to participate in planning the annual school budget.
Characteristic B: School leadership ensures writing teachers receive equitable planning time (and travel time for itinerant teachers).
Characteristic C: School leadership ensures teachers have access to necessary resources to implement the writing program.
Characteristic D: School leadership ensures that decisions related to the writing program are based on student needs and interests.
Characteristic E: School leadership communicates and involves the school staff, parents and community in making decisions about the school’s writing program.
Not Meeting Expectation	Meeting Expectation*	Exceeding Expectation
The school is NOT Meeting the Expectation for the demonstrator: 0-2 characteristics	The school is Meeting the Expectation for the demonstrator: 3- 4 characteristics *Must include C, D & E	The school is Exceeding the Expectation for the demonstrator: 5 out of 5 characteristics