Building Educational Foundations for Lifelong Success!

Dr. Art Ellis

Dr. Trish Guinee-Mathematics

Kathleen Burke-Reading

3202 N Wisconsin Ave Peoria IL 61603

309-672-6536

 

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

 

 

 

 

 

 

Curriculum Mission and Goals
Peoria School District 150 is committed to coordinating the written, taught and tested curriculum that will ensure that each student reaches his or her full academic and personal potential. To accomplish the District goals and objectives, the curriculum and instructional program are:

  •  Aligned with the state mandated curriculum

  •  Aligned with state mandated assessments and programs

  •  Designed to develop District priorities

Principles of Curriculum

  • Balanced Core: Balanced core of learning, including foundation and enrichment programs as identified by the state, that challenges students with experiences relevant to their lives.

  • Results Oriented: Focuses on results and accountability, with multiple types of assessment that measure success of both students and teachers.

  • Makes connections among and between disciplines clear to students (applied in interdisciplinary organizations when appropriate).

  • Active Learning: Actively involves students in relevant and engaging tasks which lead to creative products.

  • Diversity: Recognizes and respects student diversity.

  • Education for All: Provides access to substantive learning for every student.

  • Challenging Curriculum: Promotes thinking skills such as researching, analyzing, creating, communicating and evaluating information.

Definition of Curriculum
Curriculum in Peoria School District 150 is defined as the knowledge, skills, attitudes and the processes to be taught and learned at the appropriate levels/area or in courses in our schools. The word curriculum refers to what is taught, written and tested.

Written Curriculum
Written curriculum includes curriculum guides, lesson plans and grade records. Written curriculum guides are available online, via subject area web sites. Also, teachers have access to hard copies of course/grade level objectives and other curriculum resource materials.

Taught Curriculum
Teachers follow the courses of study and instructional materials provided by the District, the essential knowledge and skills for each subject mandated by the state, and the scope and sequence developed by curriculum writers and reviewed by other teachers.

Tested Curriculum
Teacher-made tests, district assessments and state assessments are congruent with what is written and taught. Teachers and administrators use test results to assess the status of individual student achievement, to identify general achievement trends of various groups of students, and to modify curriculum and/or instruction as warranted by assessment results.

Curriculum Standards
 Check back for information that will be added soon.
 

State & National Tests
 Standardized Test results for each of the Peoria School District 150 schools can be found at http://iirc.niu.edu. Peoria School District 150 gives the following State and National Tests:

The Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT):
1999-2005, ISAT measured performance of students in reading, writing, mathematics in grades 3, 5, and 8; and science and social science in grades 4 and 7.

The Prairie State Achievement Examination (PSAE):
1999-2005, the PSAE measured the performance of grade 11 students in reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social science.

The Illinois Measure of Annual Growth in English (IMAGE):
Measures the progress of students with limited English proficiency in attaining English-language reading skills.

The Illinois Alternate Assessment (IAA):
For students with Individualized Education Programs for whom all other state assessments are inappropriate, even with accommodations, because of their disabilities.

The Illinois Grade 2 Assessment of Reading and Mathematics:
(ONLY for Title-I funded schools serving grade 2 as their highest grade.)

Illinois students also take part in other assessments to measure the state's progress against national and international standards.

  • National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP)
  • Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)

Source: Interactive Illinois Report Card at http://iirc.niu.edu/scripts/tests.asp

Quarterly Assessments:
The quarterly assessments that will be administered in the district are based upon the district’s instructional timelines.  The instructional timelines and quarterly assessments will be written by various groups of teachers throughout the district.  The quarterly assessments are formative assessments.  A formative assessment is an assessment that is based upon the actual instruction that was given.  The district assessments are a consistent measure of the curriculum that is being taught in all classrooms of the same level across the district.  The data from the quarterly assessments will be used to make curricular and instructional decisions at the classroom, building, and district levels. 

Benchmark Assessments:
The benchmark assessments that are administered in a district are aligned with the ISAT.  Benchmark assessments are a summative assessment.  A summative assessment measures all of the material that a student should have mastered in a particular grade.  This year the district may give benchmark assessments.  The first assessment is designed to provide baseline data (where a student’s knowledge begins).  The second administration of the benchmark assessment should show growth in knowledge of the materials, but will also provide data on which areas of instruction need more attention prior to the ISAT administration.   

ACT practice tests:
The ACT practice tests are administered to students of a junior standing.  The ACT tests used are practice tests that are released only to educational institutions.  The practice ACT gives students practical experience and practice in taking the ACT test.  After each test, each student receives a summary report that includes his/her score in each of the 4 areas of the assessment, as well as his/her composite score and national percentile.  Students also receive a printout of all of their answers with the correct answers, along with the test booklet, so that they can use the data to determine which areas they need to focus study on.  Teachers and school administrators can use the data provided from these assessments to make curricular and instructional adjustments. 

 

Common Q and A (Coming Soon)
 

 

 


 Extended Response Rubrics:
Link to math extended response rubric: http://www.isbe.net/assessment/PDF/MathRubric.pdf
Link to reading extended response rubric: http://www.isbe.net/assessment/readrubric.htm
ISBE assessment page:  http://www.isbe.state.il.us/assessment/default.htm