We are working with a consultant um a literacy expert on this and that is supporting that work. Um and we are reporting to our DESIE team on June 15th um because our endofear benchmark window closes on June 12th if that's the Friday and the Monday I think. Um so the end of the year benchmark window where students will have their third round of map dibbles assessment. In addition we I've talked about how we've introduced core and pass which is that diagnostic that identifies the specific gaps that they have. Um that will be the end of the year data. So we do have middle of year from beginning of year to middle of year data right now. Um, but come May 13th, that data is starting to get stale. But we used it at the middle of the year to change intervention groups and make changes to our practice.
>> Should we be expecting a presentation from you on the literacy stuff you have collected after June 15th. >> I could I don't know when that presentation would be made but I can certainly do one and I believe I did one after the midyear progress in February. Yes, we can make that part of a future agenda. >> Other questions, comments? >> Is uh that data publicly available right now that that midyear data so we could review it in more detail? >> I can check if it was in that report in February. Let me check on that. And if so, then it's publicly available. >> Okay. I I do mean in more detail. I would uh because I remember the report from February, but I would I would like to take a close look at things in writing. >> What kind of data would you be looking for that in that respect?
Thank you for sending that. Um, it really does help to kind of put everything together for us. Um, so that we're able to identify and notate any material that would necessitate. Um, I understand that you're hinting at doing like a blanket coverall to the parents at the beginning of the year, whatnot. Um, but controversial, social topics, sexual, ideological, violent, profane, vulgar, religious, or otherwise relevant content pursuant to Arizona Revised Statute 15-113, 15-711, 15-102, and the Arizona Parents Bill of Rights that you alluded to as well. um so that we know this book fits that bill where we might run into some trouble. Right. A simple mark in a column for that I think would be would be helpful because I don't think any of us up here have read every single book that you send to us. >> One of the pieces that's in our our planned um presentation to you.
We actually just had data team meetings today at all three elementaryaries which were just introduced or reintroduced um to the elementary schools in March for the first time and this was our second round of those. Um, so as I've said before, we're working to set up systems and structures to address this. I I'll be I am not opposed to a audit or anything like that. I do think we could learn something about it. Um, I'm pretty confident what the audit would tell us and I think we're taking steps to address those things in real time and always reflecting back on the places where we might have misststepped or where we've gotten more out of something than we initially expected and finding opportunities where we can double down um or not repeat mistakes. >> Yes. Should we be expecting a presentation from you on the literacy stuff you have collected after June 15th?
>> Um growth trends, >> growth trends, uh achievement um achieve if possible achievement per building. Um results uh I I know that we can all uh the school report cards. Okay, those those are publicly available. Um but uh this this data doesn't cover anything regarding um teaching practices, right? Uh it it only is going to be covering results. No, it would it I believe it included teaching practices because that's data that when we do professional learning and we go in and do our learning walks and we identify are we seeing the professional learning that we've provided being implemented in classes. So there is some data related to that as well. >> You've got all that. Yeah. Okay. I'll take a look back at what what's there and see if uh see if I want to. >> Yeah.
One of the things that we've been working on is trying to gather some information about this is the easy uh one for my brain. You know, similar to the motion picture association, right? you know, so we have EGP, PG-13, etc. Uh, so we've been researching what's out there that we might be able to utilize um that we can do from an independent source or multiple independent sources. That way, it's not me or you or one other individual saying this is what's in this and I I decide whether or not you decide whether or not it's divisive or sexual innuendo or whatever. Uh, so we've been working on that piece to include that as part of that document. So that is part of our final plan. >> Perfect. We're on the same page again just like last month. All right. In addition to the parental rights notification column or whatever you end up titling that, um, at least entertaining, not necessarily saying that these are musthaves, um, but age appropriateness.
>> I could I don't know when that presentation would be made, but I can certainly do one. And I believe I did one after the midyear progress in February. Yes, we can make that part of a future agenda. >> Other questions, comments? Member Don, >> um is uh that data publicly available right now that that midyear data so we could review it in more detail. >> I can check if it was in that report in February. Let me check on that. And if so, then it's publicly available. >> Okay. And I I I do mean in more detail. I would uh because I remember the report from February, but I would I would like to take a close look at things in writing. And so >> what kind of data would you be looking for that in that respect? Um >> growth trends, uh achievement, um achieve if possible, achievement per building breakdown.
And if you have any questions feel free to reach out. happy to respond offline or whatever is convenient for any of you all. >> I see a stack of hands, but I'm just going to make a quick note that we do need to be mindful when we're starting to drill down into specific classroom practices. That is not our job. That's not our role. We set the strategic goal. We've they've heard us loud and clear. They know we really care about literacy and we want our students to read um I would say even my goal is above grade level. Like I want our students to be reading challenging texts, not just um at what they have, you know, available to them. I want them to be seeking out and to really enjoy wrestling with stuff. Um we set that goal and then you figure out how you can meet that meet that challenge.
And so we'll use Hunger Games for example. That's a Lexile. I think was it like 720 offhand? I don't have it in front of me, but it was a lower lexile. [clears throat] But the high school is able to use it and go much deeper. um where kids are more developmentally able to talk about dystopian and they can take it to a whole other level right at an 11th grade level. Um so age appropriateness versus Lexile >> right >> level. Um viewpoint diversity. So do we have all of these books that are just giving one viewpoint of the world or or are we evening the score a little bit? >> Right. And I think that's [clears throat] going to be >> that'll be a tough one. that's going to be the most complex one because I think any >> as it stands now any novel in essence is taught in isolation.
Um results uh I I know that we can all see uh the school report cards. Okay, those those are publicly available. Um but uh this this data doesn't cover anything regarding um teaching practices, right? Uh it it only is going to be covering results. >> Uh no, it would it I believe it included teaching practices because that's data that >> Yeah. When we do professional learning and we go in and do our learning walks, then we identify are we seeing the professional learning that we've provided being implemented in classes. So there is some data related to that as well. >> Yeah, you've got all that. Yeah. Okay. I'll take a look back at what what's there and see if uh see if I want to. >> Yeah.
Um and we leave it in their capable hands. >> Yeah. And member Goodwin mentioned it before, right? oftentimes these types of initiatives take two, three, five years to bear fruit and I will say there are small indicators that it's right just small jumps and sometimes I'm looking for like jumping over that mountain and that may not be realistic but we are seeing in places some of that movement that seems stagnant a year ago is starting to shift in places and Uh the hope is those are early indicators. >> Thank you. I saw me remember Charles, member Goodwin, member D. >> So first some data that I would really like to see. So we've got the breakdown of reading below grade level. I would like it to be a little bit more granular. Like if someone is reading just a little bit below grade level, that's bad, but it's not nearly as bad as this person cannot read at all.
Um I see that as being a greater concern with the core curriculum and we've tried to address that in the core curriculum. >> Um >> so we'll have to talk about that as we move >> and maybe that's like mapping it out and when they have assignments trying to >> equal it out a little bit. >> Yeah, I think it's just going to come into play. >> It'll prepare you for approving history curriculum. So that's going to be fun. never [laughter] >> um in my retirement somebody >> all right and then standards um alignment which I do you already have I don't recall >> I don't I don't think we have that on our draft column um and I think the Lexile level was already on there correct so that was all I had unless anybody else after doing their due diligence I had something to add >> I had um so I understand like I I researched the ones that um were in pink And um at first yeah at first glance it's it's a little little much.
And if you have any questions, feel free to reach out. Happy to respond offline or whatever is convenient for any of you all. Great. Thank you. >> I see a stack of hands, but I'm just going to make a quick note that we do need to be mindful when we're starting to drill down into specific classroom practices. That is not our job. That's not our role. We set the strategic goal. We've they've heard us loud and clear. They know we really care about literacy and we want our students to read um I would say even my goal is above grade level. Like I want our students to be reading challenging texts, not just um at what they have, you know, available to them. I want them to be seeking out and to really enjoy wrestling with stuff. Um, we set that goal and then you figure out how you can meet that meet that challenge.
And sometimes it seems like if you're below grade level, it's just all grouped in one. and that doesn't give you a clear enough picture. Um, so that is a data that I'm interested in in particular. Um, when we're not missing the mark, how far off are we? And then the other thing is if we're going to have a presentation on literacy data, does it make sense to move this motion to whatever meeting we have that presentation so that we'll be making an informed vote on the motion? understanding that the bidding process. Um, and one of the things that Massachusetts has struggled with when it comes to performance data with MCCAST as a principles, we always argue that we need to get the data before the end of the school year. So, we had all summer to work with it. principles would have the summer to plan to make effective change at the beginning of the school year.
Um how how are these books being used? I mean is it like are we doing like a book study with the whole class? Are we or is it like um hey you you need to read uh you have you you need to do this book study on your own and these are your options. I I just don't understand like how how are they going to be used? >> I've developed a a sympathy cough now. Um [laughter] I I think there's a variety of ways they could be used and I don't know how much we want to get into the minutiae on that. I think the goal and intent is that you as the board give us a direction on a comprehensive list and it could be used in any of those ways. So it might be that I'll use my favorite example. We're going to read G Great Great Gatsby as a class, right?
Um, and we leave it in their capable hands. >> Yeah. And member Goodwin mentioned it before, right? Oftent times these types of initiatives take two, three, five years to bear fruit. And I will say there are small indicators that it's right just small jumps and sometimes I'm looking for like jumping over that mountain and that may not be realistic but we are seeing in places some of that movement that seems stagnant a year ago is starting to shift in places and uh the hope is those are early indicators. >> Right. Thank you. I saw member Charles, member Goodwin, member Den. So, first some data that I would really like to see. So, we've got the breakdown of reading below grade level. I would like it to be a little bit more granular. Like, if someone is reading just a little bit below grade level, that's bad, but it's not nearly as bad as this person cannot read at all.
So, the idea was that um this could be accomplished and it's really I I can see the data for the children with MCCAST scores and all of that, but what we can't see are um how people are feeling either. I mean, having somebody come in, they look at curriculum materials, they look at everything. They give you a bigger lens. Um, and they're not just looking at the reading, they're looking at the writing, they're looking at the vocabulary, all the pieces that go together, which our state test doesn't even really do accurately anymore. Um, I think having that kind of data at the end of the school year is, I know, as a principal, a dream because you have all summer to look at it and make meaning of it to help plan the next school year. So, that was why. Um, so if we do it in the fall, again, everything's already been put together.
We're all on the same novel. Um it might be um that we're teaching, you know, this dystopian theme and that could be one of these 11 novels and we're asking students to choose any one of those 11. Um which could then lead to conversations about the best Lexile level, appropriateness of the material. we're just seeking the theme in that. So, it really could be a variety of different ways that we're utilizing it. Um, I think that's the overarching goal is just to make sure we have a good library to choose from that you as a board are saying whether a teacher's teaching this in its entirety to a class, they're teaching chapters out of this, they're teach they're putting it on the shelf as a pick one of these books that no matter which way we're using it, the teachers feel like they have that that green light.
And sometimes it seems like if you're below grade level, it's just all grouped in one. And that doesn't give you a clear enough picture. Um, so that is a data that I'm interested in in particular. um when we're not missing the mark, how far off are we? And then the other thing is if we're going to have a presentation on literacy data, does it make sense to move this motion to whatever meeting we have that presentation so that we'll be making an informed vote on the motion? >> Have a good one. understanding that the bidding process. Um, and one of the things that Massachusetts has struggled with when it comes to performance data with MCCAST as a principles, we always argued that we need to get the data before the end of the school year. So, we had all summer to work with it. Principles would have the summer to plan to make effective change at the beginning of the school year.
all the classes have been put together. All everything's together. Nobody's going to undo something. Um, but maybe, you know, if that's the way it has to be, that's the way it has to be. But that was the idea that we have that fresh. Um, so people really had something hands-on and that, and I'm going to be honest, that's never really happened. Um, and Greenfield has struggled with literacy um, in one school or another for the last 15 years. It's not something and everybody has tried if there used to be a base a room in the in the basement of the middle school that had all this money that was spent on all these different initiatives that were supposed to fix things, but nobody ever brought in somebody to look at what was the thing. It's there's no magic bullet. It's hard work. there's new no new core and our new core is six years old.