San Diego County Office of Education

Administrators

Implementing differentiated instruction: A district/site administrator lens

Key Questions to Consider

How do we define "differentiation?"

What does differentiation look like in the classroom?

Which teachers provide differentiated instruction?

What evidence do we have that shows that differentiated instruction provides all learners with rigorous coursework and opportunities to access the core curriculum?

District/site level support for differentiation provides teachers with resources and the knowledge that they can use supplementary materials, modify pacing guides, and utilize modifications and accommodations in the classroom to meet the diverse learning needs of students. In order to provide teachers with support, a level of understanding around the concept of differentiation must exist at the administrative level. 

Creating a plan for implementation and support

  1. Enlist district and site level administrators, teachers, and parents to serve on an Inquiry Team around the topic of differentiation.
  2. Provide each member with a) disaggregated district multiple measures data to analyze the gaps in learning and b) a District Assessment Survey (California Department of Education) to assess the team’s level of knowledge regarding district strengths and areas for growth.
  3. After correlating results of the District Assessment Survey (DAS), determine if the results give the team adequate information or if the survey should be taken by a broader range of stakeholders. Re-administer the survey if necessary.
  4. The Inquiry Team reviews the results of the DAS and determines areas of strength and growth for the district.
  5. The team reviews literature on leadership and student achievement. Recommended resources are included below. After a review of the materials, members of the team participate in a conversation around the concept of “rigor,” in order to lead to providing instruction that is rigorous and challenging for all learners.
    • How do we define "rigor?"
    • What does rigor look like in the classroom?
    • What student academic results should we see from rigorous coursework?
    • In our district, what evidence do we have that our students are completing rigorous coursework?
    • How can we ensure that all students have the opportunity to receive rigorous instruction? This discussion on rigor serves as a springboard for discussion around “differentiation” (Refer to Key Questions to Consider box on this webpage).
  6. The team reviews course syllabi, grade level pacing guides, student work, and data that points to the proficiency levels of students in the district. Site visitations and walkthroughs will provide evidence for the discussions on “rigor” and “differentiation.” The team determines the student achievement levels in the content areas so that each student can be offered an instructional program leading to success. Next steps will become the responsibility of the Inquiry Team as they create goals, objectives, and an action plan for the district.

Presentation - Differentiation: A Systems Discussion (application/vnd.ms-powerpoint)
This presentation introduces the discussion on rigor, differentiation, and including all staff toward building a systematic response to improving education for all students.

Action Plan Model and Template (application/pdf)
The Inquiry Team can use this sample and template to develop an action plan for implementing differentiated instruction into the overall site goals. The action plan template is a step in the program Charting the Course: Using Data to Set Achievement Goals (See References).

Resources

Association of California School Administrators (ACSA)
http://www.acsa.org/hot_topics/hot_topic_detail.cfm?id=13 (outside link)
The California Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (CPSELs) are one way that ACSA supports educational leaders to ensure that all students can succeed.

California Department of Education District Assessment Survey
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/lp/vl/improvtools.asp (outside link)
The District Assessment Survey is provided as one of the tools to assist districts in meeting instructional needs.

References

Blankstein, A. M. (2004). Failure is not an option: Six principles that guide student achievement in high-performing schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Earl, L. M. (2003). Assessment as learning: Using classroom assessment to maximize student learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Kearny, K. (2003). Moving leadership standards into everyday work. San Francisco: WestEd.

Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D. J., & Pollock, J. E.  (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

San Diego County Office of Education. (2007). Charting the course: Using data to set achievement goals. San Diego County Office of Education.

Schmoker, M. (2006). Results now: How we can achieve unprecedented improvements in teaching and learning. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

The Center for Comprehensive School Reform. (2006, October 17). Are high schools failing their students? Strengthening academic rigor in high school curriculum. Newsletter.

Tomlinson, C. A. (1999). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2005). Traveling the road to differentiation in staff development. Journal for Staff Development, 26(4).

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