Targeted professional development meetings scheduled for Ohio educators

More than 500 evening workshops for English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies educators have been scheduled on the topic of Ohio’s revised standards and new model curricula. To help participants develop a deeper understanding of these elements of Ohio’s education system, ODE has trained content-specific regional content facilitators to facilitate the meetings. Registration is available by accessing STARS through individual SAFE accounts and searching for keywords: targeted professional development. Meetings scheduled for January through May focus on Curriculum Revision. A flier announcing the meetings is available by clicking here.

Participants should download the materials needed for the meetings from ODE’s Academic Content Standards section by visiting their specific content area and opening the relevant Targeted Professional Development page. Materials will be posted after January 1. The Academic Content Standards section also is accessible at the bottom of ODE’s home page under the Educators heading. Contact hours will be awarded for attendance. For more information concerning registration, contact lisa.simpson@ode.state.oh.us.

Measure Up 2010-2011

Measure Up for 2010 is available in a preview form at http://measureup.edresourcesohio.org. The data used is from the latest testing cycle. Some charts and navigation features are yet to be included.

Measure Up is now a web page. Users can locate districts, buildings and community schools directly. Measure Up works on PCs, Macs, and ipads.

2010 MU Page

Credit Flexibility

Senate Bill 311 requires that school districts, community schools and chartered nonpublic schools adopt a local credit flexibility policy in time for the start of the 2010-2011 school year. The plan enables students to earn units of high school credit based on a demonstration of subject-area competency, instead of, or in combination with, completing hours of classroom instruction.

To comply with the S.B. 311 requirements, ODE has posted several resources to help schools develop their plans. Visit the ODE Web site at www.education.ohio.gov, Select School Options; Select Credit Flexibility.

Revised Academic Content Standards and Model Curriculum Development

In June 2010, the State Board of Education adopted the Common Core State Standards in English language arts and mathematics as well as the revisions to Ohio’s academic content standards in science and social studies. The standards will be effective in 2014-2015 when newly aligned assessments also will be implemented.
ODE continued its work of refining Ohio's Comprehensive Educational System with the development of a Model Curriculum, which will be a Web-based tool for educators. During the summer and fall of 2010, teachers across Ohio worked collaboratively in teams to suggest instructional strategies and resources that align with the revised standards. The State Board of Education adopted the Model Curriculum on March 15, 2011. Model Curriculum by Grade Level and Course, as well as related information can be found at the links below.
Model Curriculum

English Language Arts Model Curriculum (Web page)
Mathematics Model Curriculum (Web page)
Science Model Curriculum (Web page)
Social Studies Model Curriculum (Web page)

ODE Stimulus Updates

The Ohio Department of Education has created a Web site called the "Stimulus Updates" to provide information about the disbursement of federal education stimulus funds provided in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The web site will provide information about how to apply for the competitive grants; federal and state guidelines for using the funds; allocations for school districts and community schools; and accountability requirements for school districts and community schools.

Link: http://education.ohio.gov/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=520

Using Your Test Data

Diagnostic Test Support Web Site http://www.diagnostictestsupport.org/default.asp

ODE's Diagnostic Test Support Web site assists Ohio's Kindergarten - Grade 3 teachers navigate and use the Ohio Diagnostic Assessment System. The site includes guidance on which assessment to administer, assistance with interpreting results and over 500 short instructional activities aligned to the indicators being assessed.

Ohio's Statewide Testing Web Site

On Ohio's statewide testing Web site users will find information for the Ohio Achievement Assessments and the Ohio Graduation Tests (OGT). The site combines features from the Student Success Web site and OGT Tools for Teachers and Student Web sites.

Ohio's Statewide Testing Web site, http://portal.success-ode-state-oh-us.info/.