PLCS &

SMART

GOALS

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OBJECTIVESBy the end of the session, participants will be able to . . .Explain the elements of a SMART goalDevelop a SMART goal for their PLCby working in small groups and collaborating on what they’ve learned.

BELLWORK/HOMEWORK REVIEWShare your Norms with

another PLC, Choose 1 Norm from the other group to share with the larger group.

ARTICLE REVIEW

Please read Why Do We Need SMART Goals article.

Be prepared to discuss.

WHAT ARE SMART GOALS?A team SMART goal is:

Strategic and specific

Measureable

Attainable

Results-oriented

Time-bound

CRITERIA FOR ESTABLISHING TEAM SMART GOALS Address all points on the SMART acronym Align team goal(s) to school and district

goals. Focus on results, not activities. To

achieve your goal, more students should learn at higher levels.

Create a goal that fosters a collective effort and an interdependent relationship

ARE THESE SMART GOALS?

Strategically aligned with the school wide goal of improving student achievement, by the end of this school year we will:

Develop and administer at least 6 common assessments.

Reduce the failure rate in our course from 15% last year to no more than 10% this year.

Address the Common Core State Standards in 100% of our lessons.

Increase the percentage of students achieving and exceeding the proficiency target on each strand of our final assessment from 81% last year to at least 90%.

TIPS FOR ESTABLISHING SMART GOALS

Limit the number of goals Team goals should be established by teams rather than

for teams Avoid establishing goals that are too narrow or too broad Measureable targets that demonstrate continuous

improvement Monitor work towards a goal by:

creating team products directly related to the goal andestablishing benchmarks to assess progress.

Celebrate progress, then establish a new goal.

FOCUSING ON RESULTS, NOT ACTIVITIES

Goals should not focus on evidence of what teachers will do rather they should focus on evidence of what students will learn.

Effective teams goals will help answer the question, “How will we know if our strategies are resulting in gains in student learning?”

Goals will focus on the intended outcome rather than on the strategies to achieve the outcome.

NOT JUST WORDS ON A PAPER BUT A GUIDE FOR ACTION The PLC foundation must guide day-to-day

decisions. For every existing and proposed process,

procedure, or practice ask: Is this consistent with our purpose? Will it help us become the school we

envision? Are we prepared to commit to do this? Will it help us to achieve our goals?

SAMPLE SMART GOALS

American Government:

At least 20 percent of the current junior class will enroll in and earn a score of 3,4, or 5 on the advanced placement American Government exam by the end of the year.

Physical Education

Using the President’s Challenge Physical Fitness program components, all students will increase their physical fitness, with 85% of the students performing at or above the 50th percentile on all five components.

Exceptional Education

The percentage of all special needs students scoring in the Proficient category on the Math School City test will increase by 10% from the Math School City Pre-test.

Departmental

Beginning in October, the English Team will create monthly, reading comprehension formative assessments so that 100% of the teachers are using the assessments monthly, and analyzing the resulting formative data to inform instruction based on the student outcomes.

IN SHORTThere is nothing more important in determining the effectiveness of a team than each member’s understanding of and commitment to the achievement of results-oriented goals to which the group hold itself mutually accountable.

CLOSING/HOMEWORK

Come prepared with a SMART goal that you will share with the

larger group.