Excelling Teaching & Learning : Professional Development : Essential P.O.s
	ATI / Galileo Galileo Information "FOR PARENTS" Background Lesson Plan Templates Benchmark Review Committee Performance Ranges for the Benchmark Tests Essential P.O.'s By Grade Level Master Teacher Trainers Essential Performance Objectives Power Point Math Correlation FAQ's NEW! Social Studies Lesson Plan Template Testing Calendar

EPO Archive Page

(This page contains old documents for your information. To view the most current EPO information please click here.)

Spring Update - Essential Standards are now EPOs

In an attempt to help clarify terminology, the Essential Standards will now be called Essential Performance Objectives (EPOs) since they are performance objectives that are assessed on the benchmark tests. It is helpful to know all the terms associated with the Arizona Academic Content Standards.

For example, there is only one standard for Mathematics. The Mathematics Standard is divided into five strands. Each strand is divided into concepts that broadly define the skills and knowledge that students are expected to know and be able to do. Under each concept are performance objectives (POs) that more specifically delineate the tasks to be taught and learned. There are two standards in Language Arts - Standard 1 - Reading and Standard 2 - Writing.

The Arizona Academic Content Standards are not meant to be a checklist of performance objectives to cover. Instead, many performance objectives can be clustered together in order to more effectively teach a concept or skill, and make it more meaningful to the student.

This spring, the District will start the process to review the Essential Performance Objectives with the intent of giving teachers the revised EPOs prior to the end of the 2005-2006 school year. Each year, the data from multiple assessments will help us determine which performance objectives will be the focus for the grade and subject.

District Benchmark Review Committee

Teachers who participate in the review of Galileo benchmark tests will receive Professional Development credit. To participate in this important work, you must be an English or Math teacher for first through tenth grades. If you are interested in participating in the next round of reviews, which will happen in February, please email Fredda Campbell for further instructions. If you have participated in benchmark reivews first or second quarters, you need to fill out the Benchmark Review Time Log and return it to Deedy Payne at the MDA. These hours will then be posted as committee work at the end of the year.

How do I review a District Benchmark Test?

Download the Benchmark Review Timelog here.

Information about the Writing Benchmark Testing Procedures

Scoring Ranges for Performance on the Benchmark Tests

Based on our work in June with WestEd, we (principals, assistant principals, teachers, professional development specialists, curriculum experts, etc.) developed the following scale for performance on the District Benchmark assessments. Please share this with your staffs, teachers and students to help them understand their performance on the benchmark tests.

Exceeds Standards 93-100
Meets Standards     80-92
Approaches Standards    60-79
Below Standards           40-59
Fall Far Below Standards 0-39

These score ranges are based on the decision to assess each performance objective with five items in order to determine the accuracy of the data (also known as reliability and validity). You’ll notice that we developed a mid-range performance level (Below Standard) to help further identify/differentiate student performance below Meets. These data should be used to help assist students with any necessary remediation, reteaching or enrichment necessary based on the benchmarks.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or a member of the ETLT for assistance.

Essential Performance Objectives

The Essential Performance Objectives are an important part of instruction at all grade levels and in all content areas in the Scottsdale Unified School District. They were unveiled in August 2005 after many hours of work by hundreds of teachers. Please understand that these standards are a dynamic addition to teaching and learning in Scottsdale and will continue to be revised and edited as we work with them this year.

The purpose of these Essential Performance Objectives is to guide teachers as they plan learning objectives and develop grade-level curricula that align with and support their current practices. These standards are meant to reinforce instruction in a way that will be consistent and will create articulation of skills. Skills listed should be mastered at the grade-level where they appear.

During the past year, we have been working on establishing a direction for learning by creating a standards-based, articulated curriculum. Much work was done by teachers working with state and district standards and there is still work to be done. We appreciate the dedication and hard work that has been part of this journey towards excellence for our district.

Background of the Essential Performance Objectives

• The Essential Performance Objectives Committee began in January of 2005 when approximately 100 SUSD teachers representing reading, writing and math in grades K-10 analyzed the AZ Academic Standards to decide which of the performance objectives were essential for students to master in quarters 1, 2, 3, and 4. Their task was to create a Mastery List by grade level in reading, writing and math which identifies approximately 21 essential performance objectives in quarters 1, 2, and 3. These performance objectives demonstrate leverage, endurance and readiness. AIMS blueprints and practice tests were used to guide decisions.

• The goal of the Mastery Lists is to guarantee SUSD students the opportunity to learn the standards necessary to master AIMS.

• The Mastery Lists represent the minimum number of performance objectives to be mastered per quarter.

• The committee continued their work to rewrite the essential performance objectives into student friendly language and analyze student work samples to indicate levels of mastery. Science and social studies teachers joined the groups to provide cross curricular input.

• The committee will meet annually to analyze the Mastery Lists and make revisions as needed.

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Essential Performance Objectives

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2006/2007 Essential Performance Objectives

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Essential Performance Objectives Lesson Plan Templates

These lesson plans are forms that teachers can use to help focus on the Essential Performance Objectives that will be tested on the benchmark assessments each quarter.They include ONLY the Essential Performance Objectives that go ACROSS ALL CONTENT AREAS. They are forms created in Word. If you have problems with the file, please email the web editor.

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New! Download a Lesson Plan Template to use for your Social Studies planning

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Correlation of Everyday Math to the Essential Performance Objectives

Spreadsheet / Explanation / Title Page

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