Curriculum and Instruction -
Maximizing Learning, Increasing Achievement

The number one strategic goal of the school district is to Increase Student Achievement and the division most directly responsible for carrying out the district's strategies to improve academic performance is Curriculum and Instruction.  The mission of this Division is to:

 Increase student achievement through the development and implementation of a rigorous, relevant curriculum and identification of effective instructional resources and strategies that challenge all students to maximize their potential.

Five strategic initiatives are in their second year of implementation.

I. PICASSO (Portal for Instruction, Curriculum, Assessments, and Student System Operations) provides a one-stop comprehensive curriculum website (http://picasso.cobbk12.org) for teachers, administrators, parents, and the community that includes:

· Aligned comprehensive curriculum providing content standards.

· A public website for the Cobb County community, parents, and students to review the curriculum.

· A password protected website for teachers to have access through PICASSO to the curriculum and instructional resources.  Examples of these resources include:

· Pacing guides, topic maps, unit and lesson design templates, and best practices.

· Exemplary units developed by Cobb County teachers for Cobb County teachers.

· Online resources aligned to curriculum standards that enhance and support student learning.

· The high school course catalog for use by individual schools.

· Professional development articles on selected topics, such as differentiated instruction, problem-based learning, and curriculum integration.

II.  Closing the Achievement Gap - The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 operates on the assumption that every child - regardless of income, gender, race, ethnicity, or disability, can learn and perform on grade level.  The goal is that by the school year 2013-2014, all students in America will be functioning on grade level.  In implementing the law, the following initiatives are underway in Cobb County:

· Scientifically based supplemental reading services are provided students in all Title I schools.

· A school choice option is provided to ranked students who are in schools not making adequate yearly progress.

· Third-grade and fifth-grade summer school

III. Technology Integration Standards - This initiative infuses national technology integration standards into the instructional and administrative environment.  It also provides infrastructure and equipment to support the curriculum.

· The International Society for Technology in Education (http://www.iste.org/) has produced National Educational Technology Standards for Students, Teachers, and Administrators, which are being infused into the instructional and administrative environment in the Cobb County School District.

· Student standards are being integrated in the Cobb County School District curriculum at every grade level, K-12, and will be integrated into every subject area through the online curriculum in PICASSO (http://picasso.cobbk12.org/cobbcurriculum/curriculum/ParTechINDEX.HTM).  The first annual North Metro Regional Technology Fair sponsored by the District was held in 2005 allowing students an opportunity to display their knowledge of subject matter using technology tools (http/www.cobbk12.org/~techfair/index.htm).  First place winners advanced to the State Technology Fair.

· Sixteen Technology Integration Specialists work through Instructional Lead teachers in every school to assist students, teachers, and administrators in integrating technology as a tool for learning.  These specialists also provide the Special Georgia Technology Requirement courses required for recertification.  The team creates and delivers a variety of instructional technology staff development courses emphasizing student curriculum standards and successful teaching strategies through online, face-to-face, and blended models. (http://www.cobbk12.org/instructionaltechnology/).

· The Level of Technology Implementation (LoTI) survey, a nationally normed assessment, has been administered to school administrators, teachers, technology specialists, and media specialists district wide to assess the success of the instructional technology initiative. (http://www.loticonnection.com/lotiquestionnaire.html).

· Online resources, as noted above, are available to supplement the curriculum, assist students, and provide a secure and appropriate instructional environment.  Some examples are:

· NetTrekker, a collection of educator recommended and ranked websites correlated to state and district curriculum standards, is available to district students and staff at school and at home through login (http://www.nettrekker.com).

· Skills Tutor, online research-based instruction and tutoring in the basic skills, is available to all high school students in the district.  Students may access one skill or entire subjects from school or home through login (http://www.picasso.cobbk12.org/cobbcurriculum/Skills Tutor.htm).

IV. Emerging Instructional Delivery Systems - This initiative further utilizes technology to enhance the teaching and learning experience while enabling instruction to be delivered to more students in new ways. Some of these include:

· The Media Services Department provides a quality collection of valuable resources, print and non-print, to support the curriculum in the Cobb County School District.  These resources include web-based reference and video resources.

Online Resources

Access to online reference collections is available for all students and staff from school and from home.   These online collections include full-text magazine articles, newspapers, encyclopedias, biographies, maps, and pictures.   They are selected for their quality and relevance to the teaching of all subjects at all levels.   Students perform thousands of searches each year to access information in these resources.

Video Resources

Cobb teachers use Georgia Public Broadcasting’s video streaming website to access a large collection of educational video clips.  The video collection may be searched by grade, subject area, keyword, or Georgia curriculum standard.  Cobb County teachers will view more than 80,000 video clips this school year to use with students in the classrooms. 

· Distance Learning for Students

The school district is a recognized national and state leader in the use of technology to maximize and enhance learning opportunities for students.  Distance learning multiplies the resources available to students and teachers and greatly increases opportunities for both teaching and learning.  The mission for distance learning in Cobb is to provide alternative instructional delivery methods to meet the needs of all students and prepare them for their future.

· eHigh School

The eHigh School program offers high quality online high school courses for students in Cobb County and throughout the state.  eHigh School delivers courses identical in content to those offered in traditional classrooms and uses interactive activities and multi-media to engage students.  As in face-to-face classes, online classes include a teacher, lessons, homework, class discussions, and tests.  The main difference is that the activities occur over the Internet at a time that is convenient for students. 

Cobb’s eHigh School offers the hallmarks of truly effective traditional education programs – quality teachers, quality curriculum, and frequent student-teacher interaction.  All courses are developed and taught by CCSD teachers and meet national, state and Cobb County School District curriculum standards. 

eHigh School offered more than 45 course offerings to over 800 students in 2003-2004.  eHigh School plans to expand course offerings to Advanced Placement and select foreign language courses during the 2005 school year.  Information about eHigh School can be found at www.cobbk12.org/~elearning/ehighclass.htm

"The best thing about eHigh School is being able to work at your own pace, not worrying about what other students were doing and the grades they were making, and not being distracted by disruptive students.  Also, knowing that the teacher really cared about you and wanted to know if you needed help with anything."  - Fall 2003 eHigh School Student

 · NovaNET

NovaNET is an individualized, computer-based curricula delivered over the Internet. NoveNET classes are offered in a classroom setting with a certified teacher.  NovaNET is primarily used for credit recovery.  The courseware includes unit pretests and posttests (with mastery set at 80%) and assigns prescriptive lessons based on each student’s individual knowledge of the course content.  Students work at their own pace to master the course objectives.  During the 2003-2004 school year, NovaNET served 1,137 students. 

V.  Career Planning and Post-Secondary Success - This initiative focuses on the culminating goal for all students in Cobb County - that all students will be prepared to maximize their potential and succeed in post-secondary choices.  Advanced Placement (AP) Certified Schools, a profile of Cobb County School District graduates, guidance services, and alternative education are part of this initiative.

· AP Certified Schools - is a District framework for high schools that promotes student participation in advanced placement courses, including honors, AP®, and International Baccalaureate (IB).  Levels of implementation include Affiliate, Certified, and Demonstration.  AP Certified Schools encourage vertical teaming between middle and high schools and academic scaffolding to ensure student access to higher level coursework.

· Guidance Services – Each school in Cobb County has a team of school counselors who work with the staff, students, and parents to assist removing barriers that interfere with a student’s academic achievement. All school counselors are required to have a Master’s Degree in School Counseling and many have a Licensed Professional Counselor credential.  Factors that might interfere with a student’s learning such as social or personal difficulties, learning problems, attendance problems, or poor decision making can be addressed through the services provided by a school counseling program.  Components of Cobb’s school counseling program include:

o    Classroom guidance on topics such as test taking skills, anger management, positive character traits, peer pressure, bullying, effective study habits, goal setting, and problem solving.

o    Group counseling for students who need support in areas that interfere with their academic success such as poor attendance or study habits, anger management, stress management, poor social skills, or grief/loss issues.

o    Group guidance for students/parents on such topics as financial aid, post-secondary planning, positive parenting, transitions to the next educational level, student safety, drug/alcohol awareness, and positive behavior management.

o    Individual counseling with students to provide guidance in areas of personal growth, educational planning, career exploration, decision making, and problem solving.

o    Consultation with staff including facilitation of the County’s Student Support Teams (SST), which generate strategies for improved student learning.

o    Community agency/consultation referrals for students exhibiting high-risk behaviors or mental health related problems.

o    Individual consultation with parents and collaboration in parent/teacher conferences.

The broad areas of Cobb County’s school counseling curriculum include academic development, career development, and personal/social development.  Our school counselors also assist with the administration of standardized testing, K- 12, and provide interpretation of the test results to students, parents, and staff.

Alternative Education - provides the opportunity for students who are not experiencing success in a traditional school environment to work in an environment focusing on behavior modification, special counseling, and individualized instruction.  These include: Central Alternative School, the Intensive English Language Program, Transitional Learning Center, Adult Education Center, and Oakwood High School.