Common Core Implications – Update!

VTA and VUSD have met several times in the past 4 months, in bargaining and informally, to discuss Common Core Implementation issues and concerns.

Through these critical conversations, VTA and VUSD have reached an MOU concerning the impact of transitioning to the Common Core Standards.  That MOU can be found at the end of the bargaining update at:

http://www.vacateachers.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/CCbargupdate5.pdf

The following are implications of the MOU:

-More teacher-direction in: professional development, use of Wednesday PLC time, use of non-pupil workday time, number of district assessments

-Less meeting in time in the three days before school starts

-Use of Wednesday time for grading of district assessments (CFA/other)

-Use of Wednesday time for planning

-District mapped out assessment per year, revisions with teacher input

-Less meeting hours for 2014-15

-Planning time included in standards related professional development

-Limited meetings during TK-6 grade reporting months

-Common list of terms to be developed so everyone is on the same page

-When released for some committees/professional development, members will be released early to compensate them for writing sub plans

-When released for new standards professional development, about 28% of the time will be dedicated for planning

 

Also the District has altered its original CC implementation plan in the following ways in response to VTA members’ needs:

-Fewer CFAs (K-6 CFAs math only)/District decreased assessments at many grade levels (from original plan)

-Postponed K-6 ELA implementation until 2015-16

-CFAs will be scheduled around other assessments, end of grading periods and conferences.

-IMAP teams have control over formative assessments, with the flexibility to create or revise at individual school sites

-IMAP teams should have more control over their meeting agendas

-Extra assessment assistance for K-6, with proportionally more support for K-1 due to the individual nature of the assessments

-Feedback process between IMAP team members and grade levels/departments established

 

VTA would also like to encourage its members to do the following:

 

-Give feedback to your fellow VTA members serving on these important committees:  Instructional Map (IMAP), professional development (PDAC), K-6 report card, Special Education, and Wednesday Collaboration.

 

-Push for more member-voice at your school site. One of the ways that you can do that is by taking a VERY brief survey (for your school site only) on the use of outside the duty day meeting time. Early in the 14-15 school year, your VTA reps will be sharing this information with individual site administrators. Our hope is that will help site administrators to effectively plan the use of these meetings.

Please go to the appropriate link for the site that you were working at in 2013-14:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/meetingsACE

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/meetingsALAMO

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/meetingsBROWNSVALLEY

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/meetingsBUCKINGHAM

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/meetingsCALLISON

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/meetingsCOOPER

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/meetingsCOUNTRYHIGH

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/meetingsFAIRMONT

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/meetingsHEMLOCK

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/meetingsJEPSON

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/meetingsMARKHAM

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/meetingsORCHARD

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/meetingsPADAN

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/meetingsVACAHIGH

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/meetingsVACAPENA

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/meetingsWOOD

-VUSD was VERY reluctant to allow 50% of the Wednesday PLC collaboration meetings be strictly member-driven. This is a fantastic opportunity to show our administration the incredible, hard-working professionals that we are and that we deserve their trust in this endeavor.

Thank you again for all you do for VUSD students and for your fellow VTA members.

Moira McSweeney

VTA President

Social Media Integration by Acurax Wordpress Developers