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| Content Standards Alignment Guides |
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The DataWORKS Content Standards Alignment Guides measure page by page the
alignment of instructional resources to specific state content standards.
The Guides are the foundation for schools to put in place proper curriculum
pacing so that students are taught all the correct grade level standards
before state test dates.
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Why are Content Standards Alignment Guides so valuable?
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Academic Content Standards are defined and published by each state’s
department of education. Textbook publishers then provide instructional materials
that are supposed to match each state’s specific standards.
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For students to be best served,
to increase their knowledge each school year
and to improve student achievement
students must be taught on grade level.
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Virtually all textbooks are too large to be covered in one school year.
The DataWORKS alignment guides improve the use of the textbooks by showing
teachers the exact pages of instructional resources that are the most important
for the students, the ones that are on grade level.
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In addition, the Alignment Guides show the standards that are not covered,
identifying areas where schools must bring in supplementary materials so students
will be taught all the standards.
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Students must be taught on grade level for them to increase their knowledge
and to do well on state assessments. Students taught below grade level are
prevented from doing well on state assessments.
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What are Alignment Guides and how do they work?
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Instructional resources are sent to DataWORKS for a page by page analysis
for alignment to state content standards. Two reports are generated:
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The Standards Alignment Guide
lists the standards along with the matching aligned pages in the textbooks
including the number of times each standard is covered.
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The Curriculum Guide lists resources by chapter or
unit and identifies the specific standards being covered. A count of how many times
each standard is covered and a list of missing standards is provided to allow for
planning and correct pacing of the standards throughout the school year.
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What does the school need to provide?
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The school sends its instructional resources to DataWORKS for analysis.
DataWORKS’ experienced researchers (over 2.3 million assignments aligned so far)
determine the grade levels of the assignments in the instructional resources.
The guides allow matching of specific standards to specific pages in the books.
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Assignments are on grade level if they match the state’s published content
standards. Inclusion of an assignment in a textbook by a publisher does not
define its grade level.
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The ultimate determination of grade level is the match to the state standard, not
the inclusion in a textbook. Standards are determined by the state, not the publishers.
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Includes calibration of instructional resources, searchable web based results,
plus school-site staff development in using the guides to ensure grade-level
assignment for students.
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