The District of Columbia Public Schools has adopted an aggressive training and implementation timeline for a new standards-based curriculum. The effective and efficient delivery of the evidenced based literacy and mathematics program to support the DC standards is contingent upon job-embedded professional development for all teachers.

To raise student achievement and deliver "what students need to know and be able to do," teachers need to be knowledgeable of effective instructional strategies, skilled in teaching/learning strategies, mindful of how the learning theory impacts instruction, able to capitalize on the instructional opportunities that arise from classroom diversity, and deliberate in using data-based decision making to drive the instructional program.

The State Improvement Grant can assist school staffs in addressing the standards as defined by the following goals outlined in our approved grant application:

• Goal 1: Provide technical assistance and professional development to enhance teacher quality, administrator knowledge and skills, and the involvement and capacity of families to support education of all students including those with disabilities.
• Goal 2: To improve reading achievement and behavior of all children and youth including those with disabilities.

The DC-SIG instruction team members work closely with school administrators and teachers to develop yearly instructional blueprints that align formative assessments with student learning expectations. An example of one such assessment is the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS). Teachers are trained to administer this assessment in the fall, winter, and spring. Data from the DIBELS assessments are used to group students for differentiated instruction using the CORE scientifically based reading program. SIG instruction team members work closely with the teachers to plan whole group and flexible small group lessons. Differentiated teaching strategies are developed based on students' readiness for learning, background knowledge, learning preferences, reading strengths and needs, and interests. The goal of differentiated instruction is to maximize students' literacy success by meeting each student at his or her level and moving him or her forward in the learning process.

Teachers are supported by the SIG instruction team in a variety of ways. Individual and team planning sessions are held on a weekly/monthly basis. Demonstration lessons are provided in the Five Big Ideas in Reading. Classroom materials such as listening centers and hands on materials for small group instruction are made available. Professional development opportunities such as seminars, on-site workshops, research literature, and national conferences are also extended to participating schools.

In addition, the SIG p rovides training, implementation support and coaching to schools on topics such as:

• Increasing the reading achievement levels of all students
• Identifying scientifically based interventions for students who are unresponsive to the CORE reading program.
• Supplying ongoing opportunities for staff to participate and engage in high quality professional development that fosters the adoption of research-based educational practices and ensures that these practices are used and sustained.
• Training school-based teams to develop and implement site-specific intervention/prevention systems that support the use of systematic, research-based interventions in reading.
• Increasing general and special education teacher content knowledge, skills and application to support improved outcomes for students in the areas of reading and math instruction.
• Monitoring and evaluation of site-based interventions to ensure effectiveness.