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Instructional Plan and Presentation

Melissa Pratt
CUR 516
November 23rd, 2015
Gary Weiss

Phase I:
Course: STAR Assessment for Success
The STAR Assessment is a diagnostic test to measure students skills in reading and
mathematics. The STAR Assessment for Success training will teach educators how to use the
STAR Assessment for detailed information regarding students and their skill abilities in reading
and mathematics. This training will instruct educators how to create comprehensive reports that
can be used for individualized instruction, unit planning, and tailored homework for skill deficits.
Target Audience & Analysis:
Age: from 24-54 years old
Teaching: 1 to 27 years of teaching
STAR Experience: 0-1 year of using STAR Assessment
Attitudes: After meeting with grade level teams to discuss future STAR assessment training, new
teachers expressed that they are excited to learn more about how to effectively use STAR data
within their classroom curriculum. A handful of new teachers want to learn details of STAR and
why it is an important assessment to give students since they already assess students with unit
summative evaluations and district-wide mandated interim assessments. Teachers who have been
in the district and used the STAR assessment along with many other assessments (such as
MAPS) and curious to learn why we have chosen this assessment and what are the benefits of it.
Modality & Length: Training will be provided to staff through professional plan time. There
will be four sessions. The first session will be a half-day (8:00-11:30). The final three sessions
will last 50 minutes during professional plan time.
Goals:

Teachers will know how to proctor the STAR assessment.

Teacher will create a variety of data reports to provide differentiated, scaffold instruction
within their classroom and in their unit planning.
Teachers will create reports for parents to show skill level and skill deficits for targeted
homework and practice.

Phase II:
Objectives: (in ABCD format):
Grade level teachers will define the steps and process for effectively proctoring the STAR
assessment.
Grade level teachers, given a set of student data, will be able to apply their knowledge of
STAR data to create ability level groups for instructional planning reports.
Grade level teachers
The objectives for this training require collaborative learning as well as encouraging critical
thinking skills. During some of the sessions, learners will be asked to analyze reports that
encourage them to use their critical thinking skills to truly delve into the information. In other
sessions, learners will be asked to work together to develop tips for proctoring STAR as well as

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define the steps for the STAR assessment. These two types of learning play a critical role in how
the adult learners will retain and understand the content.
Instructional Strategies:
Throughout the four sessions, a variety of instructional strategies will be used to engage learners,
provide them with information, and allow them time for hands-on experience.
a. Lecture- session 1 will involve a lecture that discusses what the STAR assessment is, why
this assessment was chosen for the school district, and how this assessment will benefit
teachers and students
b. Discussion- following the lecture, teachers will be given some discussion questions to
guide their conversations at their tables to delve into content, as well as develop any
current questions they have about STAR
c. Simulation- teachers will use sample student to create instructional planning reports,
progress monitoring report, and individual diagnostic student report
d. Modeling- instructor will use modeling to show and guide teachers through the process of
creating reports, how to read them, and how to use the information in unit planning
e. Job Aid- all teachers will be given reference sheets for how to access the various reports
Instructional Technologies:
a. Renaissance Website- the Renaissance website is where teachers will login to access all
of their student data following assessment. This website will be used throughout the
entire training as it is where all reports will be created.
b. Laptops- each teacher will be required to bring his or her laptops to each training session.
They will need their individual laptop to be able to access the website, create reports and
save all of the pdf reports they create throughout the trainings.
c. PowerPoint Presentation- the facilitator will have a PowerPoint presentation that guides
each training session. This PowerPoint will include; overview of training, goals and
objectives, steps for accessing and creating reports, and visuals to support each of the
steps. This PowerPoint can also be emailed to teachers as a reference item when they
leave training.

Phase III:
Timeline for implementation of instruction and delivery including:
Total length of time of training: STAR Assessment for Success training will be broken
into 4 sessions. The first session will be a half day session, 8:00-11:30, during the first
week of school for teachers. This week is a week of professional development and
session one will be implemented during this time. Sessions two and three will be
implemented to staff during their professional plan time. These sessions will each be 50
minutes and will be implemented on back-to-back days, the day after the STAR
assessments are given to students. The fourth and final session will be implemented a
week and half after the third session is finished. The final session will also be 50 minutes
during the staff professional plan time.
Session 1 (during first week of school, day session):
Introduce STAR/Renaissance Learning Login
What STAR is, how we give it, logistics of testing

Groups use discussion questions to guide conversation regarding testing

Teachers define each step of proctoring assessment along with 3 tips for successful
testing
What makes the STAR assessment different from others
Discuss cut scores, how it measures student knowledge
Accommodations for students with disabilities
Provide opportunity for teachers to login and take sample assessment
Exit ticket: What are immediate questions you need answered before testing?
o Will set-up individual time to meet with those who still have questions, if
questions cannot be answered via email

Session 2 (professional plan time the day after testing finishes):

Instructional Planning Reports
Teachers create groups based on cut scores
Teachers create instructional planning report based upon their groupings
Save pdf of planning report to use in upcoming unit planning and small group instruction
planning
Parent Report- show sample
Teachers create and print parent report of core classes- will discuss reports in session 4
Session 3 (professional plan time day 2 after testing finishes):
Diagnostic Reports
Show sample report and go through details
Provide time and guide teachers through creating these reports for a selected student
Exit activity- each teacher will print off the report they created for a selected student and
write questions and/or comments on the report of things they need clarified
Session 4- Wrap-up (week and a half after testing) session:
Check progress with reports and unit planning
Someone provide example of how they have used the reports in their upcoming unit plan
(will pre-select teacher to provide this to ensure they are prepared)
Discuss how to present and explain parent report at conferences
Answer questions from previous session as well as any pending questions
Next steps based on data & next testing session details
o What needs to be changed?
o What did you struggle with during testing?
o How
Survey Monkey- survey to gather initial feedback to trainings, what else is required by
teachers to make this training more beneficial, additional information needed regarding
STAR, and their opinion on if each of the goals and objectives were met

Individuals Involved: The first session will be provided to all middle school teachers,
including elective teachers, as well as instructional coaches and administrators during the
first week of the new school year. Following this session, the final three sessions will be
implemented to each grade level on an individual grade basis as well as to the elective

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teachers during their designated professional plan time. Administrators and instructional
coaches will be invited to join one grade level to also receive the training.

Resources & Materials Needed: This training requires a few resources and materials
that need to be prepared prior to starting. Besides the previously listed instructional
technologies, the instructor needs to prepare the discussion guide questions for session 1.
The job aid, which will provide information on how to access and create various reports,
needs to be created before the start of session 2. The Survey Monkey questionnaire must
also be developed in order to gather initial reactions and data following the final session.
Finally, the formative assessment on the steps for proctoring needs to be developed and
printed off for session 1.

Plan Details:
Plan Communication: The Principal, prior to the start of the school year, will approve
the plan and implementation schedule. The Principal will sit down to go through the
training as well as schedule out the sessions into the professional development calendar.
Testing days will also be locked in to the school calendar for planning purposes.

Building Interest and Commitment: The STAR assessment is a requirement for all
students to take within our school district. The STAR assessment provides detailed
measures of students abilities and skills in reading and mathematics. These measures
provide crucial information for teachers to use in their classrooms in order to
differentiate, scaffold instruction and plan groups.

Participant Selection: All teachers and coaches are required to used the STAR
assessment data in both district required data templates as well as the statewide SLO
requirements. Participants are automatically selected due to their positions.

Formative assessments: This training has several formative assessments. Each session is
developed to encompass formative (both formal and nonformal) assessments that will
inform the facilitator if the learners are reaching the objectives and goals of the training.
Formal explanations of the assessments are listed below under evaluation instruments.

Phase IV:

Criteria for Meeting Goals and Objectives: Through each session there are built in
opportunities for the instructor to check progress on the goals and objectives of the
training. Session 1- the criteria is that each individual educator will define the steps for
proctoring the STAR assessment, as well as 3 tips for successful testing. Session 2- the
criteria are that teachers will create an instructional planning report for 1 class. They will
also create and print parent reports for all core classes to present to parents at
conferences. Session 3- teachers will create diagnostic report, analyze information on the
report and create questions about the report. Session 4- Teachers will share how they have
used the previously created reports in their unit planning. Survey Monkey data will also
show teachers reactions to the training and if the feel the goals & objectives have been
met.

If teachers are able to proctor the STAR assessment, create individual reports and
implement information in them from their unit planning, and present and explain
students scores to parents, they have successfully met the overall goals of the training.
These criteria require multiple areas of assessment to ensure the goals have been met.
Trainer will either be present during STAR assessment to check on progress OR
administration will be present to share information regarding proctoring with trainer.
During sessions 2 & 3, the trainer will be able to check in real time, if the educators are
able to create the groups and reports. The final, and most challenging assessment is if the
educators are about to use the STAR data to develop and plan their upcoming units and
small group instruction. This portion of the assessment will require the instructional
coaches along with the trainer. The instructional coaches meet with each educator to go
over their unit planning. The instructional coaches will require that each educator brings
in their STAR data and shows in their unit planning and small group instruction plan
where they are using the STAR data, and how they are making groups based upon this.
The instructional coaches will then share that data with the trainer, to ensure that the
trainer knows what needs to be taught in further detail, what reports the educators were
using, and how to change the training to incorporate these things in the future.

Evaluation Instruments
o Survey Monkey- During final session, all participants will take a Survey Monkey
survey to find out; 1) How effective their overall training was 2) What areas they
need additional training and/or support with 3) When is a good time to provide
additional support 4) What could be improved for future training
o Discussion questions- During session 1, guiding questions will lead the discussion
for teachers regarding testing and proctoring
o Definition sheet and tips- During session 1, teachers will work together to define
the steps for proctoring assessment. A document where they can collect their steps
and identify 3 tips for successful testing needs to be developed.
o Exit ticket- session 1 requires exit ticket of immediate questions
o Session 3- each teacher will print a report and analyze information- these reports
will be collected and reviewed by facilitator prior to the final session

Evaluation Overview and Future Decisions:

There are several areas where the facilitator will gain knowledge of the learners and if
they are retaining and understanding the content of the training. Throughout each session,
the facilitator is able to see what the learners are producing. The final course survey is
also a great opportunity to see what areas the learners needed more time, instruction, or
deeper understanding. This information can be the most important in making changes to
this training in the future. Finally, meeting with the instructional coaches to see how the
teachers used the information in their data template and unit planning will determine if
they were able to take the information and data from STAR and use if effectively.