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Document Sample
Rubrics for the
Essential Elements of Standards-Focused Middle-Level Schools and Programs
(Summer 2004)
developed by:
The New York State Education Department’s Middle-Level Education Program
in collaboration with
The New York State Middle School Association & The Statewide Network of Middle-Level Education Liaisons
The Essential Elements of Standards Focused Middle Schools and Programs describe the expectations for middle level programs in
New York State. There are seven elements; the entire Essential Elements document is available as a Microsoft Word document at
nysmsa.org:
• A philosophy and mission that reflect the intellectual and developmental needs and characteristics of young adolescents
(youth 10-14 years of age).
• An educational program that is comprehensive, challenging, purposeful, integrated, relevant, and standards-based.
• An organization and structure that support both academic excellence and personal development.
• Classroom instruction appropriate to the needs and characteristics of young adolescents provided by skilled and
knowledgeable teachers.
• Strong educational leadership and a building administration that encourage, facilitate, and sustain involvement,
participation, and partnerships.
• A network of academic and personal support available for all students.
• Professional learning and staff development for all staff that are ongoing, planned, purposeful, and collaboratively
developed.
The Essential Elements were developed as a coherent set of guidelines for middle schools. The Essential Elements are more than
guidelines, however. They are research-based and increased student achievement has been connected to greater implementation of the
Essential Elements. These rubrics are intended as a resource to schools that want to assess their implementation of the Essential
Elements. Behavior manifestations are being collected for each component of the rubric; future iterations of the rubrics will include
these behavior manifestations.
1. A philosophy and mission that reflect the intellectual and developmental needs and characteristics of young adolescents.
Criteria 1 2 3 4
1.a The degree to which School and staff operate with an School and staff operate School and staff act on their School and staff actively
the shared beliefs of the apparent lack of regard for the inconsistently regarding the shared beliefs of the promote and advocate the
development of the whole child. development of the whole child. development of the whole child development of the whole child
school and staff reflect Certain aspects of child by highlighting adolescents’ within and outside the school.
developing the whole development are emphasized intellectual, academic, social, The larger school community
child, intellectually, more than others. physical, emotional and ethical shares and supports these
academically, personally, development. beliefs.
socially, physically,
emotionally and ethically.
1.b The degree to which There are no collaborative School and staff work with each School and staff regularly work School and staff purposefully
the school and staff work efforts to ensure that all other on occasion to help together to promote students’ promote all students’
students achieve at high levels selected students achieve at achievement and individual achievement and success and
together to ensure that all and/or develop as individuals. high levels and/or develop as development. These efforts individual development.
students achieve at high . individuals. favor some students more than
levels and develop as others.
individuals.
1.c The degree to which School and staff– individually School and staff– individually School and staff– individually School and staff implement
the school and staff accept and collectively – do not and collectively – accept and collectively – understand programs, policies and practices
assume responsibility for the responsibility for enacting the direct link between their based on their success in
– individually and educational and personal polices and programs, but not programs and practices and promoting each student’s
collectively – development of each and every for their effectiveness in students’ learning. These learning. Individually and
responsibility for the student. promoting students’ success. efforts favor some students collectively, they accept
educational and personal more than others. responsibility for the
development of each and educational and personal
development of each and every
every student. student.
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 2
1. A philosophy and mission that reflect the intellectual and developmental needs and characteristics of young adolescents (con’t).
Criteria 1 2 3 4
1.d The degree to which The school environment is The school environment The school environment The environment of the school
the school ensures each unsafe and threatening for staff focuses primarily on discipline primarily focuses on learning is safe, inviting and trusting
and students.. and student management issues. with occasional disruptions by promoting the focus to be on
student a safe, inviting, behavior management issues. learning. Staff and students are
trusting and mutually mutually respectful. -
respectful learning Misbehaviors are primarily
environment that offers minor and minimally disruptive.
both physical and
psychological safety.
1.e The degree to which The school community does not The school community The school community creates a The school community operates
the school community encourage caring and respectful encourages students to be respectful, caring sense of in a culture where respect and
interactions. respectful and caring of each community in the students and caring for one another are
models caring and other and of other adults. other adults with whom they pervasive.
respectful interactions interact.
with students and with
other adults.
1.f The degree to which Organized efforts to assist Organized efforts by the school Organized efforts by the school Organized efforts by the school
the school and staff accept young adolescents in making and staff to assist young and staff to assist young and staff to assist young
these transitions are adolescents in making these adolescents in making these adolescents in making these
responsibility for nonexistent. transitions are sporadic and transitions, while thoughtfully transitions are purposefully
providing a successful generally initiated by a few planned and implemented by planned and implemented by
transition from the staff members, an individual the whole school, reflect an the whole school and provide
elementary grades to the team, or a single department. unequal emphasis on either the balanced attention to both the
middle grades to the high grade-to-grade transitions or the grade to grade transitions and
transition from childhood to the transition from childhood to
school grades and from adolescence. adolescence.
childhood to adolescence.
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 3
2. An educational program that is comprehensive, challenging, purposeful, relevant, integrated, and standards-based.
Criteria 1 2 3 4
2a. The degree to which i. The school program does not i. The school program i. The school program i. A balanced comprehensive
the middle-level meet the intellectual, social, emphasizes only one the needs: addresses both intellectual and program that is intentionally
personal, physical, or ethical intellectual, social, personal, social/ personal/ designed to meet each student’s
educational program needs of the students. physical or ethical. physical/ethical needs of the intellectual and social/ personal/
emphasizes the students. One of these two physical/ ethical needs in the
intellectual, social, areas is consistently context of supporting his or her
personal, physical, and emphasized over the other. academic success.
ethical development of
ii. Teachers’ lessons do not ii. Teachers’ lessons emphasize ii. Most teachers’ lessons ii. Teachers regularly and
young adolescents meet the intellectual or the only one of the needs: address intellectual and social, intentionally design lessons that
social/personal/physical/ ethical intellectual or the personal, physical, and ethical take into account each student’s
needs of students. social/personal/physical/ ethical needs of students. intellectual, social, personal,
needs of the students. physical and ethical needs.
2.b The degree to which i. Teachers design or plan i. Teachers design or plan i. Teachers design or plan i. Teachers design or plan
the middle-level lessons that lack rigor, lessons that are either rigorous lessons for their classes that are differentiated lessons to provide
engagement and and meaningful or are rigorous and meaningful and challenging, rigorous, and
educational program is meaningfulness and do not connected to the Learning address their own content meaningful learning for all
challenging, rigorous, and reflect the Standards. Standards, but not both. Learning Standards. students and integrate all
meaningful and reflective Learning Standards.
of the 28 Learning
Standards ii. Students perceive much of ii. Students perceive their ii. Most students perceive their ii. All students perceive their
their learning in school as learning in school to be too learning to be relevant and learning as both relevant and
irrelevant, boring and difficult, too easy, insufficiently meaningful to their lives and meaningful to their lives and
meaningless. connected to their lives or challenging to their intellect. challenging to their intellect.
unchallenging to their intellect.
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 4
2. An educational program that is comprehensive, challenging, purposeful, relevant, integrated, and standards-based (con’t).
Criteria 1 2 3 4
2.c The degree to which i. Teachers’ practices are i. Teams or other sets of i. The faculty as a whole has i. The faculty as a whole
the middle-level isolated and individualistic. No teachers have adopted a set of adopted a set of common routinely examines and refines
set of common learning skills common learning skills learning skills intended to the common learning skills in
educational program has been adopted. intended to increase students increase students’ learning. light of students’ learning.
includes common learning learning.
skills to increase student
achievement across all ii. Teachers do not instruct ii. Teachers occasionally ii. Teachers instruct students in ii. Teachers consistently
grades and subjects (e.g. students in the use of common instruct students in the use of the use of common learning instruct students in the use of
learning skills. these common learning skills or skills across assignments. common learning skills and
how to plan, study, emphasize them inconsistently reinforce their application.
conduct research and read in their assignments.
for understanding)
iii. Students’ work reflects iii. Students’ work occasionally iii. Students’ work reflects their iii. Students independently
teachers’ isolated and reflects the use of these common learning skills. apply these common learning
individualistic behaviors. common learning skills. skills on a consistent basis.
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 5
2. An educational program that is comprehensive, challenging, purposeful, relevant, integrated, and standards-based (con’t).
Criteria 1 2 3 4
2.d The degree to which i. A set of common i. Teams or other groups of i. The faculty as a whole has i. The faculty as a whole
the middle-level performance expectations has teachers have adopted a limited adopted a set of common routinely examines and refines
not been identified nor agreed set of common performance performance expectations for a set of common performance
educational program has upon by teachers. expectations for students. students. expectations for students with
common performance student input.
expectations across all
grades and subject area
(e.g. using complete ii. Teachers instruct their ii. Teachers emphasize these ii. Teachers instruct students in ii. Teachers consistently
students to meet what appears common expectations the use of these common instruct students in the use of
sentences; using standard to be a wide range of occasionally or inconsistently in expectations across these expectations and reinforce
English in school; performance expectations, some their assignments. assignments. their application through
following directions of which seem arbitrary. assignments.
without multiple prompts,
note-taking, graphic
iii. Students depend iii. Students analyze their own iii. Students analyze their own iii. Students routinely and
organizers, reading for exclusively on their teachers to work in a cursory manner and work, reflect on their progress, independently analyze their
understanding, writing in identify the strengths and depend primarily on their and identify their strengths and own work in various subjects
the content areas, using weaknesses of their own work. teachers to identify their weaknesses in a very limited against the criteria, reflect on
agendas, etc.) strengths and weaknesses. context (i.e. math, PE) their progress and identify their
own strengths and weaknesses.
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 6
2. An educational program that is comprehensive, challenging, purposeful, relevant, integrated, and standards-based (con’t).
Criteria 1 2 3 4
2.e The degree to which i. Literacy and numeracy are i. Teachers across content areas i. Teachers across all content i. Teachers across all content
the middle-level considered to be the sole minimize their responsibility areas understand their areas share responsibility for the
responsibility of the content for the development of literacy responsibility for the development of literacy and
educational program specialists. and numeracy skills in their development of literacy and numeracy skills in their students.
emphasizes reading, students. numeracy skills in their
writing and mathematics students.
(literacy and numeracy)
across all subject areas ii. Content area teachers do not ii. Content area teachers’ ii. Content area teachers ii. Content area teachers
understand literacy as it relates understanding of literacy is understand the nature of literacy understand the nature of literacy
to their content areas. limited to a narrow band of in their content areas. in their content areas, as defined
skills (e.g. mechanics). by best practice.
iii. Reading and writing iii. Literacy instruction by iii. Content area teachers iii. Content area teachers
instruction occurs only in content area teachers is limited instruct students in literacy explicitly instruct students in
ELA/reading classes. to a narrow band of skills (e.g. skills for their content area (e.g. literacy skills for their content
sounding out words, writing in strategies for reading science area and routinely embed these
complete sentences). text; strategies for writing word skills in their lessons.
problems in mathematics).
iv. Content area teachers do not iv. Content area teachers have iv. Content area teachers iv. Content area teachers
understand numeracy as it limited understanding of understand numeracy skills as understand numeracy skills and
relates to their content areas. numeracy as it related to their they relate to their content areas concepts to be an integral part of
content areas. (mathematical reasoning, their content area.
problem solving, ordering,
patterns, etc.).
v. Numeracy instruction occurs v. Application of numeracy v. Content area teachers apply v. Content area teachers apply
only in mathematics classes. skills is isolated and numeracy skills and connect numeracy skills and concepts
individualistic in content areas them to their lessons (e.g. and explicitly connect them
other than math. applying the numeracy skill of meaningful real world
ordering to the creation of a experiences.
time line in social studies).
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 7
2. An educational program that is comprehensive, challenging, purposeful, relevant, integrated, and standards-based (con’t).
Criteria 1 2 3 4
2.f The degree to which i. Program includes i. Program includes limited i. Program includes summative i. The middle-level program
the middle-level assessments that are not based summative assessments in one assessments in all core includes assessments in all
on the State Learning or more disciplines that address disciplines that address the disciplines that address the
educational program Standards. the State Learning Standards. State Learning Standards. State Learning Standards.
includes ongoing
Standards-based
assessments ii. School/classroom ii. Few school/classroom ii. Some school/classroom ii. School/classroom
assessments are based on assessments are based on the assessments reflect selected assessments have been designed
teachers’ own individual demands of the NYS NYS assessment demands, to reflect the demands and
criteria or standards and are not assessments. through the use of parallel support students’ attainment of
based on the demands of the forms of the test and test the NYS assessments.
NYS assessments. simulations.
iii. Teachers rely heavily on iii. Teachers rely on traditional iii. Teachers use a variety of iii. Teachers use a variety of
traditional summative testing. testing for their summative assessment measures, including diagnostic, formative and
measures but may include processes, performances and summative assessment
isolated performances, products products, although some measures that address varied
and processes as well. emphasize testing more than students’ learning styles and
other measures. needs.
iv. Assessment data are not iv. Teachers rely on one form iv. Teachers use diagnostic iv. Standards-based assessment
utilized to inform program or of assessment data to make measures selectively to improve data are used routinely to make
instructional decisions. program and instructional program and instruction. program and instructional
decisions. decisions
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 8
2. An educational program that is comprehensive, challenging, purposeful, relevant, integrated, and standards-based (con’t).
Criteria 1 2 3 4
2.g The degree to which Each discipline or content area Occasionally, deliberate Teachers regularly design and Content areas and Learning
content areas are is viewed completely connections are made between implement interdisciplinary Standards are consistently
independent from other disciplines, subject areas and assignments or they use integrated vertically and
integrated and articulated disciplines and content areas grade levels. approaches that allow students horizontally so that knowledge
vertically and horizontally and grade levels. to see content connections and the acquisition of skills and
within and across various across subject areas and grade knowledge are the natural focus
curricular areas, Learning levels. of instruction or program rather
Standards and grade levels than specific subjects or
disciplines.
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 9
2. An educational program that is comprehensive, challenging, purposeful, relevant, integrated, and standards-based (con’t).
Criteria 1 2 3 4
2.h The degree to which i. Parents and community are i. Parents and community have i. Parents and community are i. Parents and community are
the middle-level uninvolved in and uninformed little involvement in the school involved in the school integrally involved in students’
about the middle-level program. program, limited to one or more program, but not necessarily learning.
educational program isolated events. in their students’ learning.
involves family,
community, and the world
outside the school in the ii. Parents and community feel ii. Parents and community feel ii. Parents and community are ii. Parents and community are
development of young alienated or threatened when disconnected from the school welcomed into the school sought by the school as critical
contacted by school. “community”. when they are willing to players and partners in the
adolescents assume selected roles or development of the whole child.
functions.
iii. Parents and community feel iii. Parents and community iii. Parents and community iii. The school invests time and
detached from their young have little investment in seek assistance in energy in involving parents and
adolescents. understanding and meeting the understanding and meeting community members in formal
developmental needs of their the developmental needs of and informal experiences that will
young adolescents within their their young adolescents. help parents understand and meet
school. the developmental needs of their
young adolescents.
iv. All student learning occurs iv. Student formal learning iv. Student formal learning iv. Student learning in school is
within the school building. outside the school building is takes place outside the school consistently extended to the
limited to isolated assignments. building through selected community.
assignments and joint
endeavors with the
community.
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 10
3. An organization and structure that supports both academic excellence and personal development.
Criteria 1 2 3 4
3.a The degree to which There is no deliberate The middle level program is The middle level program There is a 5-8 middle grade
middle level grades are configuration to support a limited to two grade levels. includes three of the four configuration designed to
middle level program. middle level grades. promote a middle level
configured to promote the program.
Essential Elements of a
middle level program
(grades 5-8)
3.b The degree to which a. There are no interdisciplinary a. The school program a. The school program is a. The school program is
the middle level program teams. recognizes that teams should organized with effective organized with students and
exist, but efforts to create interdisciplinary teams. staff playing active roles in
is structured to promote a effective interdisciplinary teams effective interdisciplinary
sense of belonging to are minimal or ineffective. teams.
reduce the feeling of
anonymity and isolation
among students. b. A sense of self-contained b. A sense of team community b. The layout of the school b. The sense of team
communities, i.e. houses, is is based on cosmetic effects in suggests the presence of a team community is established
missing. the building. community. through strategic layout and
arrangement in the building.
c. Staff actions do not promote c. Students and staff share c. The school organization c. The school organization
a sense of community or instructional space with other promotes team unity and a promotes a sense of family and
belonging. teams but there is little or no group identity for all students ensures that students are viewed
investment in creating a sense and staff. as individuals and receive
of community or meeting personal attention. There is
individual student needs. synergy between practices and
behaviors and a clear sense of
identity.
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 11
3. An organization and structure that supports both academic excellence and personal development (con’t).
Criteria 1 2 3 4
3.c The degree to which i. The school is not organized i. The school is organized in i. The school is organized in i. The school is organized in
the teams in the school are in teams that promote the teams and houses that don’t teams that function teams that promote the
academic, social and emotional function as teams. collaboratively for academic academic, social and emotional
structured to create close, development of the group as a purposes. development of the group as a
sustained relationships whole. whole.
between students and
teachers. ii. The focus of the school ii. The focus of the school ii. The focus of the school ii. The focus of the
organization is solely on the organization is to provide organization is to provide program/school organization is
delivery of instruction to the academic support with the academic support. to connect adult staff to
exclusion of creating close creation of close sustained Personal/social needs of individual students and their
sustained relationships. relationships left to individual adolescents are addressed but needs in an effort to provide
teachers/staff. not purposefully linked. academic support and address
the personal/social/academic
needs of adolescents.
3.d The degree to which i. The school provides limited i. Non-assigned student time is i. Non-assigned student time is i. Non-assigned student time is
the school provides, for formal opportunities for scheduled with instructional scheduled for all students with scheduled for all students with
additional instruction for those and non-instructional staff other appropriately certified qualified and effective teachers
those students needing students needing additional help than team teachers for students instructional staff and may or for the purpose of enrichment
additional help to meet the in meeting the State’s who need additional help. may not be the team teachers. and/or academic support.
State’s standards, standards.
opportunities for
additional time, ii. There is no written plan for ii. There is a written plan for ii. There is a written plan for ii. There is a coherent plan for
delivering additional services providing additional services, providing additional services delivering additional services
instruction, and personal nor are such services based on which are offered at the which are offered by qualified based on student achievement
support (e.g., after school, student achievement data. expense of other classes such as staff and based on individual and personal data. These
before school, summer exploratories or specials. These needs as reflected in selected additional services are data-
school, reduced class size, services function separately content areas, i.e. math, ELA. driven and consistent with
tutoring, pupil personnel from class work and may or current class work, targeted to
may not be taught by qualified the individual needs of the
services) staff. students and offered without
sacrificing current programs.
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 12
3. An organization and structure that supports both academic excellence and personal development (con’t).
Criteria 1 2 3 4
3.e The degree to which i. The school organization does i. The school organization i. The school organization i. The school organization
the school establishes ties not recognize the school-to- informally acknowledges the encourages and develops promotes and encourages
work connection. school-to- work connection by school-to-work connections school-to-work connections and
with the school using isolated assignments and through career exploration done career exploration through an
community that activities that expose students to by individuals, teams or integrated curriculum approach
strengthens connections the world of work outside departments. that identifies, recognizes and
between school/education school. creates experiences that connect
and career opportunities. their schoolwork with possible
career choices.
ii. The school is separate from ii. The school invites ii. Students participate in ii. Students have full access to
the business world and formal participation of outside limited career development career development
learning is assumed to exist community through sporadic opportunities and understand opportunities in a variety of
only within school walls. guest speakers and/or once a the varied post high school post high school learning
year field trips without learning experiences that locations through coordinated
integrating activities into the include business, vocational and school experiences.
curriculum. higher education.
iii. Family and community iii. The school utilizes the
members share talents and skills talents and skills of family,
to enhance curriculum and community and business
instruction with real world partners to promote an
experiences in selected subjects education that routinely extends
and for very specific purposes. beyond the school.
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 13
3. An organization and structure that supports both academic excellence and personal development (con’t).
Criteria 1 2 3 4
3.f The degree to which i. Most students with i. All students with disabilities i. Students access to the i. Students’ access with the
the school promotes and disabilities have access to the have formal access to the curriculum is facilitated by the curriculum is maximized by
curriculum. Selected students curriculum. use of heterogeneous classes or flexible grouping and varied
encourages appropriate with disabilities have little or no by the reconfiguring of teams or teaching and co-teaching
participation of pupils access due to the way their teachers to classes. arrangements.
with disabilities in all disability is ignored by the
curricular, co-curricular program.
and extra-curricular
ii. Students with disabilities are ii. Students with disabilities are ii. Students, including students ii. All students are grouped
activities. grouped homogeneously by grouped homogeneously by with disabilities, are grouped heterogeneously by team.
teams and in an isolated team, but teachers may, at primarily heterogeneously by
fashion. times, group students by team.
interest, style or using other
criteria.
iii. Teachers rarely differentiate iii. Teachers differentiate iii. Teachers use various iii. Teachers tap students’
instruction as a means of assessments as a means of instructional and assessment varied strengths and styles
meeting the needs of their meeting the needs of their strategies designed to meet the using a variety of instructional
students. students by providing students needs of different students. and assessment strategies to
with choices on how to present meet the needs of all of their
their work. students including those with
disabilities.
iv. Students with disabilities do iv. Few students with iv. A majority of students with iv. The school staff promotes
not participate in any curricular, disabilities participate in disabilities actively participate and encourages the
co-curricular and extra- curricular, co-curricular and in curricular, co-and extra- participation of all students in
curricular activities. extra-curricular activities. curricular activities.but only curriculuar, co-and extra-
with the encouragement of the curricular activities regardless
special ed. staff. of their circumstances.
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 14
4. Classroom instruction appropriate to the needs and characteristics of young adolescents
provided by skilled and knowledgeable teachers.
Criteria 1 2 3 4
4.a The degree to which i. Course, unit, and lesson i. Course, unit, and lesson i. Course, unit, and lesson i. Objectives and goals are
teachers’ instructional objectives and teachers’ objectives are organized around objectives are purposefully clearly and publicly derived
techniques and processes seem in appropriate criteria. organized around concepts, from National Standards, NYS
techniques and process are idiosyncratic and lack direction themes, issues and/or standards. Learning Standards
purposeful and strategic or purpose. performance indicators, and
local curricula.
ii. Teachers’ instructional ii. Teachers’ instructional ii. Teachers’ instruction is
techniques and processes reflect techniques and processes designed to promote depth of
these criteria leading to minimal support students’ learning of understanding rather than
or superficial understanding. these objectives promoting breadth; instruction is
basic understanding. strategically implemented and
designed to challenge and
encourage.
4.b The degree to which Teachers fail to recognize the The teachers recognize The teachers know and The teachers have a
teachers’ instructional unique characteristics and developmental differences of understand the needs and comprehensive understanding
concomitant needs of young early adolescents but developmental characteristics of of the continuum of
techniques and process adolescents. instructional techniques and young adolescents and use this developmental characteristics
reflect the developmental processes fail to reflect these knowledge when planning within the range of early
characteristics of young differences. students’ learning experiences. adolescence. They consistently
adolescents and effectively apply this
knowledge of, and experience
with, developmental
characteristics of students to
their instruction of students in
the middle grades.
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 15
4. Classroom instruction appropriate to the needs and characteristics of young adolescents
provided by skilled and knowledgeable teachers (con’t).
Criteria 1 2 3 4
4.c The degree to which Teachers lack the content Teachers have a minimal Teachers have a solid Teachers have a deep
teachers’ instructional knowledge and the knowledge understanding of their content understanding of their content understanding of their subject
of instructional practices area. Teacher-directed area and emphasize a variety of matter and its connection to
practices reflect content necessary to insure students can instruction is more common student-centered approaches to other content areas. Teachers
knowledge and pedagogy meet the Intermediate than learner-centered practices. their learning. rely on student-centered
Standards. teaching and assessment
practices and revisit these
practices by examining them in
light of students’ learning.
4.d The degree to which Teachers are unfamiliar with Teachers know and understand Teachers know and understand Teachers consistently teach,
teachers know and their content standards and have NYS Learning Standards the Learning Standards in their assess and integrate the
not formally used them in their although there is little evidence area and use them as a lens for Standards during classroom
understand, the Learning planning or teaching. of their presence in teachers’ deciding what to teach. They discussions and other learning
Standards assessment. They either teach teach and assess the Standards. and assessment opportunities.
or assess the Standards.
4.e The degree to which Teachers do not apply Teachers occasionally include Teachers use current Teachers’ application of current
teachers utilize technology technology to instruction. If technology as a part of technology to support and technology within instruction is
there are technologies in a instruction, but primarily as a enhance teaching and learning seamless, learner-centered, and
and other instructional classroom, it is exclusively for special event. through its use in selected used as a tool or means to an
technology teacher use. teaching and assessment end, rather than as an end in
activities that are presentational itself; technology is applied
in nature. within the context of regular
instruction rather than as a
special event.
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 16
4. Classroom instruction appropriate to the needs and characteristics of young adolescents
provided by skilled and knowledgeable teachers (con’t).
Criteria 1 2 3 4
4.f The degree to which Instruction is focused almost Instruction is focused at the Instruction is focused on Instruction demands that
learning opportunities are exclusively on memorization of knowledge and comprehension thinking, reasoning, and students search for in-depth
facts, terms, and algorithms. levels, and students are rarely problem solving as well as understanding of what they are
rigorous and academically asked to apply or use what they helping students acquire learning through systemic
challenging learn. necessary content and skills. research and inquiry.
4.g The degree to which i. Permanent homogeneous i. Students work in some i. Flexible grouping is used i. Instructional groups are
instructional groups are groups are used throughout the homogeneous and some based upon student needs and productive and fully appropriate
year. heterogeneous groups. interests. to the instructional goals of the
flexible lesson.
ii. Group membership tends to ii. Students change groups ii. Groups change, depending
remain the same throughout the often, depending on their on student progress, experience
year. individual needs. and individual needs and
purposes of their program.
iii. Students take the initiative
to influence instructional
groups to advance their
learning.
iv. Student grouping drives iv. Students are primarily iv. The Master Schedule
Master Schedule development grouped by ability with some provides opportunity for
flexibility in changing group frequent re-grouping of students
membership built into the based on curriculum content, as
Master Schedule. well as, student needs and
interests.
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 17
4. Classroom instruction appropriate to the needs and characteristics of young adolescents
provided by skilled and knowledgeable teachers (con’t).
Criteria 1 2 3 4
4.h The degree to which Teachers plan and deliver Teachers occasionally make Teachers routinely make The content areas are integrated
teachers exhibit a learning experiences without deliberate interdisciplinary explicit interdisciplinary so seamlessly that students see
regard for other content areas. connections and/or collaborate connections. and understand the
collaborative relationship on activities. interconnectedness of their
and culture learning.
4.i The degree to which i. Teachers use only teacher- i. Teachers use multiple i. Teachers use multiple i. Teachers’ curricular and
teachers use student data, generated numerical data to measures/data sources to make measures/data sources to make instructional decisions routinely
make curricular and curricular and instructional curricular and instructional reflect individual student
both personal and instructional decisions. decisions. decisions. Instruction is interests, strengths, learning
achievement, to make designed to address groups of styles, and needs, as determined
curricular and students’ strengths and needs. by the analysis of both personal
instructional decisions and achievement data.
ii. Accountability data are ii. Accountability data are ii. Accountability data are ii. Multiple sources of data are
viewed as lacking usefulness understood to be useful, but reviewed and used by teachers used by staff on a regular basis
and are disregarded by staff. staff members don’t know how to ascertain program strengths to inform both instructional and
to use them or don’t know and weaknesses. program decisions.
where to begin.
iii. Curricular and instructional iii. Curricular and instructional iii. Curricular and instructional
decisions are based on teacher decisions tend to be based on decisions tend to be informed
preferences and past practice teacher perception of need, as by a periodic review of program
without reference to any data. well as teacher preference and data.
past practice.
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 18
4. Classroom instruction appropriate to the needs and characteristics of young adolescents
provided by skilled and knowledgeable teachers (con’t).
Criteria 1 2 3 4
4.j The degree to the i. There is an assessment i. There is an assessment i. The assessment process i. The assessment process
school communicates with process in place. process in place. Parents receive includes reporting student includes reporting student
Parents/guardians receive reports cards and teachers progress over time. Teachers progress over time, and teachers
the parents/guardians and report cards at the end of each communicate with seek parent input relating to make suggestions for home-
community regarding marking period. There is no parents/guardians regarding student achievement. school collaboration.
student achievement process for conversations with student achievement. Teachers
parent/ guardians. provide opportunities for parent
input regarding student
progress.
ii. A yearly report is given to ii. School accountability ii. There is a process for ii. There is an identifiable
the community relating to information is discussed only at reporting school accountability process for reporting school
school accountability the faculty level. information to a limited scope accountability information to all
information. of stakeholders. stakeholders.
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 19
5. Strong educational leadership and a building administration that encourages, facilitates,
and sustains involvement, participation, and partnerships.
Criteria 1 2 3 4
5.a The degree to which The educational leadership and The educational leadership and The educational leadership and The educational leadership and
the educational leadership building administration operate building administration building administration promote building administration promote
with a lack of regard for the explicitly promote a limited set the integration of all 28 and advocate the integration of
and building Standards. of Standards (e.g. ELA, math) Learning Standards into other the Standards into other
administration know and and/or promote the Standards curricular areas. curriculum areas, make
understand the Learning with those staff who are reference to the Standards in
Standards and how they “directly responsible” for classroom observation, actively
interrelate teaching to them. promote cross-curricular
reference to the Standards and
provides schedules to support
such integration.
5.b The degree to which The educational leadership and The educational leadership and The educational leadership and The educational leadership and
the educational leadership building administration operate building administration share building administration are building administration promote
with apparent disregard for the and discuss the Essential purposefully engaged in a culture that reflects the
and building Essential Elements. Elements with faculty and implementing the Essential Essential Elements using them
administration know and community but lack Elements. to continually self-assess,
understand the Essential implementation strategies. monitor progress, and make
Elements of a standards- sound program decisions. The
focused, high performing Essential Elements are used to
provide a direction for
middle-level school or continuous improvement.
middle-level program
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 20
5. Strong educational leadership and a building administration that encourages, facilitates,
and sustains involvement, participation, and partnerships (con’t).
Criteria 1 2 3 4
5.c The degree to which i. The educational leadership i. The educational leadership i. The educational leadership i. The educational leadership
the educational leadership and building administration and building administration and building administration and building administration
know about the key concepts understand the key concepts and understand the conceptual promote systemic connections
and building and skill areas of all of the skill areas of all of the curricular connections between and between and among the various
administration have an curricular areas. areas. among the various curricular curricular areas.
understanding of the areas.
subject matter in the
middle grades and of the ii. The educational leadership ii. The educational leadership ii. The educational leadership ii. The educational leadership
and building administration and building administration and building administration use and building administration
interconnections of know and can use a limited recognize that students have their understanding and lead teachers in the
different approaches to base of instructional strategies. different learning styles and appreciation for multiple development of lessons and the
student learning and seeks to have teachers utilize learning styles to promote use of a wide range of research
diverse teaching strategies instructional strategies that are research based best practices based instructional strategies to
developmentally appropriate. among teachers. meet the learning needs of
students.
iii. The educational leadership iii. The educational leadership iii. The educational leadership iii. The educational leadership
and building administration and building administration and building administration and building administration
possess a superficial and possess a knowledge base of a possess a strong knowledge possess an extensive knowledge
limited knowledge base of few teaching strategies that are base of successful teaching base of successful research
teaching strategies that are developmentally and strategies. They can align that based teaching strategies that
developmentally and cognitively appropriate and can understanding with a range of are developmentally and
cognitively appropriate but match these techniques to successful research based cognitively appropriate,
cannot match these techniques students’ varied learning styles instructional strategies that are matching instruction to the
to students’ varied learning and intelligences on a limited cognitively and students’ varied learning styles
styles and intelligences. basis. developmentally appropriate for and intelligences.
meeting the needs of diverse
learners.
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 21
5. Strong educational leadership and a building administration that encourages, facilitates,
and sustains involvement, participation, and partnerships (con’t).
Criteria 1 2 3 4
5.d The degree to which The educational leadership and The educational leadership and The educational leadership and The educational leadership and
the educational leadership building administration provide building administration accept building administration provide building administration create
autonomous leadership. input on an informal basis from formal opportunities and and foster a professional culture
and building select stakeholders regarding processes for involvement of in which all stakeholders are
administration involve the operation of the school or multiple stakeholders in involved in decision-making.
staff and others in the the organization. decision-making.
operation of the school or
program, empowering and
encouraging them to
contribute and to make
decisions that benefit
students
5.e The degree to which The educational leadership and The educational leadership and The educational leadership and The educational leadership and
the educational leadership building administration do not building administration direct building administration support building administration
encourage teachers to the changes in instructional and encourage teachers to empower teachers to
and building experiment with new ideas and strategies resulting in new engage in innovative practices continually engage in
administration support and accept the current practice as instructional approaches with that relate to specific needs or innovative practices that meet
encourage teachers to take the norm. may or may not be sustained. purposes. the needs of their students and
risks, to explore, to school.
question, to try new
instructional approaches,
to continue as learners,
and to grow
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 22
6. A network of academic and personal support available for students.
Criteria 1 2 3 4
6.a The degree to which Opportunities for students to Opportunities for students to Opportunities for students to Multiple and diverse
academic and personal examine, explore, discuss and examine, explore, discuss or exam, explore, discuss or opportunities exist within and
understand the changes understand the changes understand the changes across courses and programs for
support include associated with early associated with early associated with early students to examine, explore,
opportunities to examine, adolescence do not exist or are adolescence are limited to a unit adolescence are limited to a discuss and understand the
explore, discuss and limited to their own within a course or as a special particular course or the changes associated with early
understand the changes understanding, perceptions and event. guidance and counseling adolescence.
associated with early experiences. program.
adolescence.
6.b The degree to which Counseling and guidance Counseling and guidance Counseling and guidance Counseling and guidance
academic and personal services do not exist or are services tend to reflect services are connected to the services are integrated in the
limited to a single individual. regulatory or management instructional program with whole school program with the
support include counseling needs and often are conducted planned collaboration among staff sharing responsibility for
and guidance services to separately from the teachers and student support the development of all students.
assist students in making instructional program. staff.
life, career, and
educational choices.
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 23
6. A network of academic and personal support available for students (con’t).
Criteria 1 2 3 4
6.c The degree to which There is no network to meet the Students receive services from a A network of trained A network of trained
academic and personal needs of the students. variety of trained professionals professionals, resources, and professionals, resources, and
and resources but there is little services between the school and services provides the necessary
support includes a or no coordination between the community-based agencies prevention and intervention
network of trained school-based and community- provides the necessary services services to students and their
professionals, special based agencies. to students needing them in a families in a coordinated
programs and community coordinated fashion. manner.
resources available to
assist those who have
extraordinary needs and
require additional services
to cope with the changes
of early adolescence
and/or the academic
demands of middle level
education
6.d The degree to which There are no partnerships Existing partnerships with In addition to providing A well established,
the support system among community community organizations and monetary or materials support, collaborative network of local
organizations and leaders. leaders primary purpose is to some partnerships expand to community organizations and
promotes Every agency that works with provide monetary or material include student learning and leaders partner with the school
school/community the school works independently. support to the school. These provide opportunities for to provide monetary or material
partnerships and involves partnerships are often students to contribute to their support, expand student
members of the temporary and provide limited community. learning experiences and give
community in school opportunity for students to students opportunities to
contribute to their community contribute to the community
activities and initiatives, through service learning. through service learning, etc.
empowering and
encouraging them to
contribute and make
decisions that benefit
students.
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 24
7. Professional learning and staff development for all staff that are ongoing, planned, purposeful, and collaboratively developed
Criteria 1 2 3 4
7.a The degree to which i. Professional learning i. Professional learning i. Professional learning i. Professional learning
the district and staff are opportunities are offered only opportunities are offered on a opportunities are offered opportunities are seamlessly
on Superintendents’ conference very limited basis, other than throughout the year. woven into teachers’ workdays
committed to providing days. Superintendents’ Conference and embedded in the school
quality professional Day. program.
development
ii. Professional learning ii. Professional learning ii. Professional learning ii. Professional learning
opportunities are offered with opportunities are based on a opportunities are based on opportunities are grounded in
apparent disregard for any data single data source and standardized and state test data multiple measures of teacher
and subsequent plans, strategies subsequent plans, strategies and and subsequent plans, strategies and student data and subsequent
and decisions about decisions about professional and decisions about plans, strategies and decisions
professional development are development are limited to professional development are about professional development
missing. current trends or fads or are not based on the analysis of data. are based on the analysis of data
aligned with what the data and the knowledge of the
reveals. characteristics of young
adolescents. These plans are
aligned with district, building
and department goals.
7.b The degree to which Individual staff members do Individual staff members, when Individual staff members Individual staff members
professional learning is not, even when encouraged by encouraged by school leaders, occasionally engage in self- consistently engage in self-
school leaders, engage in a engage in a program of directed programs of directed programs of
individualized and program of personalized personalized professional personalized professional personalized professional
intrinsically motivated. professional learning. learning. learning. learning.
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 25
7. Professional learning and staff development for all staff that are ongoing, planned, purposeful, and collaboratively developed (con’t).
Criteria 1 2 3 4
7.c The degree to which Classroom practice is Classroom practice is Classroom practice reflects Classroom practice reflects
professional development unaffected by professional minimally and superficially individually selected clear and specific evidence of
development. impacted by mandated components of professional the language, spirit and content
learnings are integrated components of professional development. of professional development.
into classroom practice development. This implementation cuts across
subjects and grade levels.
7.d The degree to which i. Professional learning i. Professional learning i. Professional learning i. Professional learning
continuous professional opportunities generally are opportunities generally are opportunities generally are opportunities generally are
district based, externally district based, group oriented, school based, initiated by staff school based, initiated by staff
learning is an integral part imposed, group oriented, reflective of that which is of based upon perceived school based on research and staff
of the school culture. informational in nature, and current interest to the and/or staff needs, needs, individualized, designed
typically “one-time-only” educational community, with individualized, informational to change staff behavior and
presentations. some staff input, but not an and engaging affecting some student learning, and aligned
integral part of a school behavior change and are part of with a long-term plan of
improvement plan. a school improvement plan. continuous improvement.
ii. Individuals are responsible ii. Teachers find their own time ii. Teachers within the same ii. Teachers within the same
for their own professional to collaboratively reflect, grade level/content area are grade level/ content areas and
development. discuss and share strategies and provided with time to across grade levels/content
difficulties in implementing collaboratively reflect, discuss areas are provided with ongoing
new information. and share strategies and time to collaboratively reflect,
difficulties in implementing discuss and share strategies and
new information. difficulties in implementing
new information.
.
Essential Elements Rubrics, page 26
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