Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment

Welcome to 9-R Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment!

Throughout the 2008-2009 school year, the Durango community and school district worked together to develop a strategic plan committing our district to excellence in education for all students.

Out of this work came the following strategy that drives curriculum, instruction, and assessment in our district:

“We will design and deliver district-wide curriculum and assessment, based on standards of excellence that integrate 21st century skills across disciplines.”

Standards of Excellence and 21st Century Skills

Durango School District 9-R “Standards of Excellence” are the curricular lenses of rigor, diversity, authenticity and thought through which all Durango 9-R content, pedagogy and assessments are viewed. Students exiting the 9-R school system must have the necessary 21st century skills to thrive in the real world and these skills are gained as a result of each student’s engagement in a rigorous, authentic, diverse and thoughtful curriculum.

Standards of Excellence Look-For Questions:

Key: C = Curriculum I = Instruction A = Assessment

Rigor Lens:

• C - Are all students engaged in content that is rigorous, complex, ambiguous, and/or personally or emotionally challenging?
• I - Are instructional strategies purposefully selected to elevate each student’s unique understanding of the content?
• A - Does assessment provide an accurate measure of each student’s understanding of rigorous content?

Diversity Lens:

• C- Are students using rich and varied curricular resources that tap into their unique learning styles, interests, talents and cultural/gender-related perspectives
• I - Are students’ learning styles, interests, and intelligences supported and expanded through the use of a wide range of strategically selected instructional strategies?
• A - Do the tools and strategies used to assess students’ understanding ensure that they have an equal opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned?

Authenticity Lens:

• C - Are students making meaningful and relevant connections between academic knowledge and the global community
• I - Do the instructional strategies assist students in developing the skills for success both in and out of the classroom?
• A - Do formative and summative assessments provide opportunities for students to demonstrate understanding of both academic and real world content?

Thought Lens:

• C - Are students engaged in higher-level thinking, reasoning and inquiry?
• I - Are instructional practices focused upon the modeling and practice of inquiry, critical thinking, effective communication, and personal reflection?
• A - Are assessments designed to produce clear demonstrations of essential knowledge, higher-level thinking, and 21st century skills?

Tasks & Responsibilities

The staff in Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment facilitate and coordinate the design, development and organization of the curriculum, instructional programs, assessment, and professional development in Durango 9-R. Our primary responsibilities include:

• Development of the Durango 9-R Academic Content Standards
• Review and alignment of the K-12 curriculum
• Development of curriculum documents that address the core curriculum, interventions, acceleration, and alternatives
• Coordination and purchase of learning resources including textbooks, technology, and other tools
• Oversight of the district's instructional coaching program
• Organization of professional development for instructional staff including teachers, administrators, and aides
• Support and coordination of the district Response to Intervention process
• Support and coordination of the district Professional Learning Communities
• Oversight of Federal Programs and English language learners
• Organize CSAP, NWEA, and local assessments
• Provide data to the schools and training for staff to utilize the data

The department works very closely with our colleagues in Special Education, Title I, and ELL as we fulfill these responsibilities. Through these coordinated efforts, we can best accomplish the Board of Education's Strategic Priorities, especially the priorities "Maximize Student Learning and Achievement," and "Value Diversity and Promote Understanding."

Colorado Academic Standards