The Process Guide:
How Texas Developed its State’s Content Standards and Benchmarks

The Texas Adult Education Standards and Benchmarks Project (cont'd)

Phase 3: July 2005 – June 2006
Five major activities occurred during this phase: (1) developed benchmarks, (2) conducted an initial field test, (3) consulted with external reviewers to evaluate the benchmarks, (4) modified the benchmarks, and (5) aligned the benchmarks for the Read With Understanding and Convey Ideas in Writing Standards to the National Reporting System (NRS) Educational Functioning Levels (EFLs) for ESL learners.

The TAESP staff made five presentations at regional and national conferences during this phase.

• December 2005: Standards based education and Texas: How Texas developed benchmarks for adult education. El Paso Adult Language and Literacy (EPALL) Conference, El Paso, Texas.
• December 2005: The Lone Star State's Approach to Developing Benchmarks for Five of the EFF Standards. New Destinations to Literacy, Learning & Life: A National Conference on Adult Education, Atlantic City, New Jersey.
• April 2006: A Journey to Standards Based Education: Texas Adult Education Standards Project (TAESP). Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE) Conference, Houston, Texas.
• March 2006: Why and How of Texas ESL Standards. Teachers of English of Speakers to Other Languages (TESOL) Conference, Tampa, Florida.
• March 2006: Developing the Texas Adult Education Standards. Teachers of English of Speakers to Other Languages (TESOL) Conference, Tampa, Florida.

July – November 2005: Developed Benchmarks
The writing teams came together three times in the Bryan/College Station area between July – November 2005 and developed benchmarks for the standards they were assigned. In November, they completed benchmarks and deemed them ready for an initial field test.

January – April 2006: Conducted Initial Field Test
13 adult education instructors implemented the benchmarks in an initial field test. These instructors were either writing team members or worked closely with writing team members during the field test. The goals were to: (1) collect preliminary data from instructors on how effective the benchmarks were in the field and (2) determine what types of professional development would be needed in order to implement the benchmarks. Nine of the 13 instructors field-tested more than one standard. Figure 3 summarizes how many instructors field-tested each of the standards.

Figure 3: Spring 2006 Number of Participants Field-testing Each Standard

After the completion of this initial field test in mid-March, the TAESP staff analyzed three types of data: data from telephone conference calls conducted throughout the field test to assess how it was coming along, evaluation forms completed by the field test participants, and face-to-face interviews with field test participants. The findings from this initial field test were presented to the writing team members in May 2006.

March – April 2006: Consulted with External Reviewers
While the field test was in progress, three nationally-known external reviewers evaluated the benchmarks for rigor, clarity, measurability, manageability, applicability, gaps, and the presence of bias. Barbara Goodridge evaluated the Use Math to Solve Problems and Communicate benchmarks, Susan Pimentel evaluated the Read With Understanding and Convey Ideas in Writing benchmarks, and Heide Spruck Wrigley evaluated the Speak So Others can Understand and Listen Actively benchmarks. Their evaluations were presented to the writing team members in May 2006.

May 2006: Modified Benchmarks
The TAESP staff presented the findings of the initial field test, along with the reports from the external reviewers, to the writing team members when they convened in the Bryan/College Station area in May 2006. The findings and the reports from the external reviewers guided the teams in determining if and how to modify the benchmarks into a more refined set for a second field test during Fall 2006.

The speaking/listening writing team also needed to re-align the listening and speaking benchmarks to the new NRS ESL educational functioning level (EFL) descriptors that were released in 2006.

During the first field test, two instructors field-tested the listening, speaking, reading and writing standards in ESL classrooms. They felt that the reading and writing benchmarks could not be implemented in an ESL classroom because they were too advanced. They suggested having the benchmarks rewritten so that they aligned to the NRS ESL levels instead of the ABE/ASE NRS levels. This suggestion was presented to the writing team members who decided to have only members from the reading/writing team and the speaking/listening teams meet later in the summer to develop reading and writing benchmarks specific for ESL learners.

June 2006: Reading/Writing Benchmarks Aligned for ESL Learners
The speaking/listening and reading/writing teams came together for a 1-day meeting in June 2006 to align the reading and writing benchmarks with the NRS levels for ESL learners. This activity was conducted to ensure that the reading and writing benchmarks would address the needs of both ABE/ASE and ESL learners. These two standards, Read With Understanding for ESL and Convey Ideas in Writing for ESL, were added to the initial five standards. The seven standards were then ready to be field-tested during the fall of 2006.

Phase 4: July 2006 – June 2007

This phase consisted of 10 major activities: (1) recruited participants for a second field test of the benchmarks, (2) conducted Standards Specialists workshop, (3) provided professional development to the Fall 2006 field test participants, (4) implemented the Fall 2006 field test, (5) recruited additional Standards Specialists, (6) modified the benchmarks and delivered the final product of the completed benchmarks to Texas LEARNS, (7) compiled learning activities, (8) developed an implementation guide and companion CD-ROM, (9) conducted a refresher Standards Specialists training, and (10) unveiled the standards and benchmarks and provided professional development during the statewide conference Texas…Reaching New Standards.

The TAESP staff made three presentations at regional and national conferences during this phase.

• October: 2006: Texas’ journey to standards-based education: Are you ready? El Paso Adult Literacy and Learning (EPALL) Conference, El Paso, TX.
• February 2007: The Texas Adult Education Standards Project: Implementing Standards and Benchmarks. Texas Association for Literacy & Adult Education (TALAE) Conference, Austin, TX.
• March 2007: The Texas Adult Education Standards Project: Standards and Benchmarks in the Classroom. Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE) Conference, Philadelphia, PA.

June – July 2006: Recruited Second Field Test Participants
In preparation for the second field test, instructors and volunteer instructors were recruited between June and July 2006. Those who were interested in becoming a field test participant were asked to submit an application packet. Applicants were selected using these criteria: (1) fair representation of all eight GREAT center regions, (2) instructor status, and (3) applicant rationale for wanting to become a field test participant.

July 2006: Conducted Standards Specialists Workshop
During the initial field test, many of the participants stated that there was a need for professional development on how to teach using the standards and benchmarks. To address this issue, writing team members were recruited to become Standards Specialists. Sixteen writing team members were invited to attend a 2-day training session facilitated by Andy Nash to become Standards Specialists. These Standards Specialists were to provide the necessary professional development to the participants of the second field test since very few of them were familiar with standards-based education.

July – August 2006: Provided Professional Development to Field Test Participants
The Standards Specialists and TAESP staff held 1-day professional development sessions for the field test participants in five cities to cover all eight GREAT regional areas: Austin (Central), El Paso (Far West and West), Houston (Coastal), Richardson (North and East), and San Antonio (South Central and South). The 1-day session was mandatory and a requirement to continue as a field test participant. Of the 55 instructors who were selected to become field test participants, seven did not attend the session, and thus could not continue as field test participants.

August 2006 – December 2006: Conducted Second Field Test
Between August and December 2006, the TAESP staff implemented a second field test, collected various forms of data, and analyzed the data. Of the 66 applicants, 38 instructors were selected to participate in the field test. Figure 4 summarizes how many instructors field-tested each of the standards. Unlike the Spring 2006 field test, each instructor only field-tested one standard during the Fall 2006 field test.

Figure 4: Fall 2006 Number of Participants Field-testing each Standard

September 2006 – May 2007: Compiled Lesson Plans Aligned with Standards and Benchmarks
During the Fall 2006 field test, the participants were asked to submit three lesson plans aligned to the standards and benchmarks they were field-testing. At the end of the field test, these lesson plans were reviewed and placed into a lesson plan format developed by the TEASP staff. The resulting collection was made available in CD-ROM format that was distributed at the statewide conference Texas…Reaching New Standards. More lesson plans will be added to an online lesson plan bank as they are submitted to TCALL and reviewed by a staff member familiar with the standards and benchmarks.

February 2007: Modified Benchmarks
The three writing teams came together one final time in the Bryan-College Station area during February 2007 and modified the benchmarks based on the findings of the Fall 2006 field test. The resulting benchmarks were delivered to Texas LEARNS in April 2007 and unveiled at the statewide conference Texas…Reaching New Standards in June 2007.

January – February 2007: Recruited Additional Standards Specialists
To facilitate implementing the finalized standards and benchmarks throughout Texas, additional Standards Specialists were recruited from the pool of 38 field test participants who successfully completed the second field test. Field test participants interested in becoming a Standards Specialist were asked to submit an application. Sixteen field test participants submitted applications and all were selected to become Standards Specialists. Therefore, the new total number of Standards Specialists is 32. Figure 5 represents the Standards Specialists by the GREAT center region they provide professional development to.

Figure 5: Standards Specialists by GREAT center region

March - May 2007: Developed Implementation Guide and CD-Rom

After the February workshop, the TAESP staff developed Version 1.0 of the Texas Adult Education Standards Project: Texas Adult Education Content Standards and Benchmarks for ABE/ASE and ESL Learners Implementation Guide. The Implementation Guide was converted into a PDF document and was sent out for bidding to several different copy centers and printing houses in the Bryan-College Station area. The lowest bidder was chosen with each guide costing approximately $14. The TAESP staff also developed a companion CD-ROM that contained all the lesson plans collected from the Fall 2006 field test participants. This companion CD-ROM was placed in the back folder of the Implementation Guide. It took the printing house approximately 4 weeks to assemble an order of 1,275 Implementation Guides.

Over 700 Implementation Guides were distributed during the June 2007 statewide conference: Texas…Reaching New Standards. An additional 3,500 Implementation Guides will be distributed at Content Standard trainings conducted by the eight GREAT centers.

June 2007: Refresher Standards Specialist training
The first and second groups of Standards Specialists came together for a 1-day refresher training in June 2007 that was held at the Educational Service Center, Region 20 in San Antonio. In addition to the Standards Specialists, seven of the eight GREAT centers sent two trainers to participate in this training. The purpose of this 1-day training was to prepare the Standards Specialists for the statewide conference Texas…Reaching New Standards since they would be leading or co-leading the professional development sessions during the conference. The workshop also provided an opportunity for the GREAT center trainers to preview the standards and benchmarks and to become familiar with the approaches to teaching using them.

June 2007: Statewide conference: Texas…Reaching New Standards
The finalized standards and benchmarks were unveiled at a statewide conference held at the Austin Convention Center in downtown Austin, Texas in June 2007. Professional development on how to teach using the standards and benchmarks was provided at this conference by the Standards Specialists and the GREAT center trainers who had been trained to use the Standards and Benchmarks. Recognizing that there would be a process of change involved in implementing the new Standards and Benchmarks, the TAESP staff invited two nationally known change speakers to give keynote addresses at the conference. The keynote speakers were: (1) Dr. Ben Bissell, Managing Change and Transition and (2) Tom Britton, The Magic of Change. Before the conference officially began, there was a Welcoming Reception the evening before hosted by Pearson Longman ESL with over 600 individuals in attendance.

In total, there were 723 attendees registered at this conference. 649 of these attendees were administrators and teachers from adult education programs throughout Texas: 193 were administrators/program directors and 456 were teachers. Of the 456 teachers attending: 228 taught ESL courses and 228 taught ABE and ASE courses. Figure 6 shows the number of instructors and administrators that attended the June 2007 conference. Table 3 shows the number of participants by GREAT center region.

Figure 6: June 2007 Conference Number of Instructors and Administrators Attending

Table 5: Number of Participants from each GREAT Center Region

GREAT Center Region	Participants Attending Conference	Percentage Attending
Central	81	12%
Coastal	98	15%
East	71	11%
Far West	19	3%
North	118	18%
South	54	8%
South Central	139	22%
West	63	10%
Unknown	6	1%
TOTAL	649	100%

The remaining 74 attendees were a combination of Standards Specialists, GREAT Center trainers who served as facilitators, vendors and exhibitors, Texas LEARNS staff, and TCALL staff.

The 15 vendors and exhibitors represented at the conference:

• Aztec Software
• Cambridge University Press
• CTB: McGraw Hill
• Easy, the ESL Series
• Educational Activities Software
• English on a Roll
• McGraw-Hill ESL
• McGraw-Hill ESL/Contemporary Publishers
• National Institute for Literacy (NIFL)
• New Readers Press
• Oxford University Press
• Pearson Longman ESL
• Spring Book
• Texas A&M University College of Education
• Thomson Heinle

Beyond the Texas Adult Education Standards Project:
While the project, as a separately funded endeavor, officially ended June 30, 2007, there are two activities currently taking place that are tied to Texas Adult Education Content Standards Development (1) continued statewide professional development trainings on the content standards and (2) participation by two programs in the Standards-in-Action project.

Fall 2007: Statewide Professional Development Training
All eight GREAT centers will offer ongoing professional development trainings on the content standards and how to use them in the classroom to teachers and administrators across the state. Currently there are 11 scheduled trainings listed on the TCALL calendar of conferences and events. In addition to these trainings, many programs are asking Standards Specialists and GREAT center trainers to come to their programs and train their teachers who are unable to attend the GREAT center trainings or who want additional training on the content standards.

Fall 2007: Standards in Action
Two adult education programs from Texas are currently participating with programs from five other states in the federally funded Standards-in-Action project. This project is a three-year standards implementation initiative that will provide professional development activities and resources to increase adult education instructors’ understanding of standards and enable them to use standards in their instruction and curriculum.

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OVERALL TIMELINE

The overall timeline below describes the activities completed during the three year project period.

Phase 1: March 2004 – August 2004

• March – May 2004: Conducted TSCF Survey
• June 2004: Convened TSCF Taskforce Meeting

Phase 2: September 2004 – June 2005

• September 2004 – December 2005: Conducted Focus Group Interviews
• September 2004 – August 2005: Participated in Adult Education Standards Consortium
• April 2005: EFF Standards Adopted
• June 2005: Writing Teams Formed
  

Phase 3: July 2005 – June 2006

• July – November 2005: Developed Benchmarks
• January – April 2006: Conducted Initial Field Test
• March – April 2006: Consulted with External Reviewers
• May 2006: Modified Benchmarks
• June 2006: Reading/Writing Benchmarks Aligned for ESL Learners
  

Phase 4: July 2006 – June 2007

• June – July 2006: Recruited Second Field Test Participants
• July 2006: Conducted Standards Specialists Workshop
• July – August 2006: Provided Professional Development to Field Test Participants
• August 2006 – December 2006: Conducted Second Field Test
• September 2006 – May 2007:  Compiled Lesson Plans Aligned with Standards and Benchmarks
• February 2007: Modified Benchmarks
• January –  February 2007: Recruited Additional Standards Specialists
• March - May 2007: Developed Implementation Guide and CD-Rom
• June 2007: Refresher Standards Specialist training
• June 2007: Statewide conference: Texas…Reaching New Standards