Procedures & Resources
The suggested procedures and listed resources are outlined to complete the steps for STAGE 1 as indicated in the Self-Assessment. In order to meet the needs of each district, the suggested procedures should be part of an established systems approach (e.g., one that includes professional learning communities, consistent staff meetings). Please contact OPI for information and/or assistance. 

The Montana common Core Standards (MCCS) for each grade and subject area have been thoroughly studied and are understood by following the first three procedures of STAGE 1.

Hunt Institute Videos on Common Core Standards

Text-Dependent Questions Module- achievethecore.org

MCCS English Language Arts and Literacy Strands and Topics Progression Chart

ELA College and Career Anchor Standards

1. Staff will develop an alignment guide by gathering materials, viewing all videos of the seven steps of the Elementary or Secondary Alignment Module, and ultimately creating a guide that aligns  ELA curriculum to the MCCS

   Elementary Alignment

   Alignment Module Guide
   Alignment Guide Templates: 1 | 2

   Alignment Module Process
   Alignment Module PowerPoint

   
   Overview Videos

   1. Importance of STAGE 1
   2. What is an Alignment Guide?

   3. Seven Step Process
   4. Objectives of the Seven Steps

   
   Seven Step Process Videos

   STEP 1: Gathering Resources
   STEP 2: Templates STEP 2: Templates

   1. Alignment Guide Template
   2. Three Column Template

   
   STEP 3: Assessment Decisions STEP 3: Assessment Decisions

   1. Making Decisions
   2. Recording Decisions

   
   STEP 4: Aligning CurriculumSTEP 4: Aligning Curriculum

   1. Beginning Step 4
   2. Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum
   3. Prioritizing Content and Selection
   4. Skills Trace and Unpacking Documents
   5. Unpacking Documents
   6. Publishers' Alignment Guide
   7. Gap Analysis
   8. Basal Alignment Project
   9. Option 1, Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses
   10. Option 2, Flexibility of Column Two
   11. Option 2, Creating Comprehensive and Time Adjustment
   12. Option 3, Lesson Planner for Alignment Guide
   13. Analyzing Program Assessments
   14. Recording of Column Two
   15. Formatting Documents
   16. Naming Documents

   

   STEP 5: Recording the MCCS
   STEP 6: Text Dependent Questions STEP 6: Text Dependent Questions

   1. Text Dependent Questions
   2. Seven Steps for Creating Text Dependent Questions

   
   STEP 7: Process On Site
   

   Secondary Alignment (Coming Soon!)

   Alignment Module Guide
   Alignment Guide Templates

   Alignment Module Process
   Alignment Module PowerPoint

   
   

   Publishers' Program Alignment to the CCS

   Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trophies ©
   Trophies © by Grade: K | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
   Trophies © by Grade (2010): K | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

   Houghton Miflin Harcourt Journeys
   Journeys by Grade: K | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
   Journeys by Grade: K | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

   McDougal Littell Literature
   By Grade: 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

   Read Well Alignment to English Language Arts (CCSS)

   REWARDS® Common Core Standards Alignment: Grades 4-12

   Scott Foresman
   By Grade: K | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

2. Staff will analyze the MCCS Unpacking Documents that contain the progression of sub-skills within the MCCS and review the instructional examples provided as part of step 4 within the alignment module.

   Elementary (Coming Soon!)

   Unpacking MCCS ELA Documents: A Progression of Sub-skills. (Coming Soon!)

   Standards K-5 (Coming Soon!)

   • Reading: Foundational | Literature | Informational
   • Writing
   • Speaking and Listening
   • Language

   Secondary (Coming Soon!)

   Unpacking MCCS ELA Documents: A Progression of Sub-skills (Coming Soon!)

   Standards 6-12 (Coming Soon!)

   • Reading: Literature | Informational
   • Writing
   • Speaking and Listening
   • Language
3. Staff will use the Gap Analysis as part of step 5 within the alignment module to determine what additional evidence-based resources are needed to effectively teach the MCCS for ELA and Literacy. If the alignment module is completed in its entirety, this step does not need to be completed again.

   GAP Analysis Documents

   Elementary

   • Grades: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

   Secondary

   • Grades: 6 | 7 | 8 | 9-10 | 11-12
4. Staff has reviewed or completed the MCCS ELA and Literacy Self-Assessment and the checklist for the Alignment Module for Stages 2 & 3 and developed an action based on the results.

   ACTIVITY

   Revisit or complete MCCS ELA Self-Assessment and the Alignment Module Checklist with staff and develop an action plan based on results.

5. Staff will review the resources on creating text-dependent questions

   Text-dependent questions

   The Common Core State Standards for reading strongly focus on students gathering evidence, knowledge, and insight from what they read. Indeed, eighty to ninety percent of the Reading Standards in each grade require text-dependent analysis; accordingly, aligned curriculum materials should have a similar percentage of text-dependent questions.
   
   As the name suggests, a text-dependent question specifically asks a question that can only be answered by referring explicitly back to the text being read.

   Webinar | Module
   Guide to Creating Questions for Close Analytic Reading
   Checklist for Evaluating Question Quality

6. Elementary staff will review the Basal Project Resources for text-dependent question examples. How to Access the Basal Alignment Project
7. Staff has an awareness of the Publishers' Criteria : K-2 | 3-12

Close Reading Exemplars

Staff has analyzed curriculum maps and examples of deconstructing the standards from other states.

• Ohio’s English Language Arts Model Curriculum Guides
• North Carolina
• Kentucky

Procedures & Resources
The suggested procedures and listed resources are outlined to complete the steps for STAGE 1 as indicated in the Self-Assessment. In order to meet the needs of each district, the suggested procedures should be part of an established systems approach (e.g., one that includes professional learning communities, consistent staff meetings). Please contact OPI for information and/or assistance. 

Teachers and leaders understand the language and structure of the MCCS.

• A leader explains the learning progression at a cluster and/or domain level and knows what MCCS expectations look like in a classroom.
• A teacher explains specific learning expectations and best practices at the grade level she/he teaches and explains at a cluster level the learning expectations prior to and subsequent to the grade level he/she teaches.

Procedures & Resources
The suggested procedures and listed resources are outlined to complete the steps for Stage 2 as indicated in the Self-Assessment. In order to meet the needs of each district, the suggested procedures should be part of an established systems approach (e.g., one that includes professional learning communities, consistent staff meetings). Please contact OPI for information and/or assistance.  Curriculum, instructional materials and resources support the learning progressions using big ideas and/or a unit approach in which students and instructors are engaged in attaining understanding and achievement of expectations aligned to the MCCS.

Curriculum, instructional materials and resources support the learning progressions using big ideas and/or a unit approach in which students and instructors are engaged in attaining understanding and achievement expectations aligned to the MCCS.

Teachers and leaders understand curriculum and instruction of the MCCS.

• A leader (e.g., principal, department chair, math coach) articulates the comprehensive, aligned curriculum and how the materials and resources support the intended curriculum across the school/district; and supports collaboration for teachers to reflect on and adjust curriculum and use of materials and resources.
• A teacher articulates the comprehensive, aligned curriculum and how the materials and resources are used within the school; collaborate across grade levels to reflect on and adjust curriculum and use of materials to make certain the intended curriculum is understood and implemented effectively.

Purpose
Aligning student progress measures begin with understanding a balanced assessment system, the mathematical practices and content standards and the learning progression for each grade level and grade band. Stage 3 focuses on using formative assessment for multiple measures with clearly established goals to improve instruction.

Teachers and leaders implement the MCCS into every classroom.

• A leader (e.g., principal, department chair, math coach)understands the critical areas and learning progressions to support a balanced assessment system for the school, recognizes formative assessment concepts and skill, and supports teachers creation and use of common formative assessments
• A teacher understands the critical areas and learning progressions to establish matching goals for the school’s balanced assessment system, recognizes formative assessment concepts and skills, creates and uses common formative assessments and implements assessment strategies.

Essential Steps

Digging Deeper

Additional Resources

Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium Resources Webinars

Purpose
Implementing in the classroom began prior and will continue after this stage of the continuum. However, the focus of this stage is to begin and maintain instructional expertise and contribute to the successful implementation of new programs.

Teachers and leaders implement the MCCS into every classroom.

• A leader (e.g., principal, department chair, math coach) is prepared to advocate for quality instruction, identifies and uses instructional expertise to improve teaching and learning.
• A teacher uses content, instruction, assessment and support structures strategies to strengthen classroom learning, spark student interest and improve student outcomes.

Essential Steps

Digging Deeper

Additional Resources

Student Achievement Partners
Voices of educators doing the work of common core

Inside Mathematics
Classroom video visits

Purpose 
Implementing in schools and districts began prior and will continue after this stage of the continuum. However, the focus of this stage is to begin and maintain professional learning that improves instruction.

Teachers and leaders implement the MCCS into every classroom.

• A leader (e.g., principal, department chair, math coach) will foster professional learning and professional learning groups, as well as, support teachers in meeting the goals of their professional learning plan that improves instruction.
• A teacher will engage in quality professional learning, become an active participant in professional learning groups and strive to reach goals outlined in their professional learning plan that improves instruction.

Essential Steps

Digging Deeper
Check back for updates.

Additional Resources
Check back for updates.

Purpose
Collecting, analyzing and decisions based on data began prior and will continue after this stage of the continuum. However, the focus of this stage is how to use multiple data sources to improve instruction.

Teachers and leaders implement the MCCS into every classroom.

• A leader (e.g., principal, department chair, math coach) articulates how to support teachers’ use of data and guides the school in using data to improve instruction.
• A teacher collects and uses multiple data sources, analyzes data to determine causes and find solutions and contributes to the data based decisions for the school.

Essential Steps

Digging Deeper

Additional Resources

Students Achievement Partners
Coming Soon: CCSS Rubric for Interim/Benchmark Assessment Webinar