Christine Treasure
585-383-6620

$446,646.00 annually

Monroe 1 BOCES Smart Start Program

Computer Science, Engineering, Educational Technology

Cohort

Large

100 teachers per year (500 total) and potentially 24,891 students.

Monroe 1 BOCES is located in the Town of Perinton, a suburb southeast of Rochester, New York. Monroe 1 is a cooperative extension of the ten Monroe County suburban school districts on the east side of Rochester and also serves 134 school districts from 12 neighboring counties in western New York. The seven consortium districts for the Smart Start Program are suburb/large districts, with the exception of Honeoye Falls-Lima CSD, which is a Rural/distant district (National Center for Education Statistics).

The seven diverse districts in this grant serve 24,891 students, inclusive of 2.2% English Language Learners (ELL) and 12.6% Students with Disabilities (SWDs).  The average percentage of students that are economically challenged is 33.6%.  On average across the seven districts, ELL and SWD students are performing significantly below all students:  50% of all students score proficient in Grade 3 ELA assessments, compared to only 5.6% ELL and 9.73% SWD students. For Math Grade 3-8 assessments, an average of 60.9% scored proficient, but fewer ELL (20%) and SWD (17.7%) scored proficient (2018 NYS School Report Card). 

This Large Scale grant-funded project will improve the expertise of grades K - 8 teachers in computer science, engineering, and educational technology to prepare their students to be successful in college, career, and citizenship.

Monroe 1 BOCES will serve as the lead applicant and fiscal agent for the project. New York State Association for Computers and Technology in Education (NYSCATE), a NYSED-approved Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) sponsor will serve as the selected Professional Development Service Provider. 

Goal 1: Improve instruction through professional development and support that increases content and pedagogy knowledge in computer science, engineering, and education technology.

Objective 1.1:  85% of teachers will use flexible content and tools (technology and online instructional materials) through the implementation of student-centered, personalized learning using digital learning technologies to improve instruction and student engagement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics subjects during each of the grant years.

Goal 2: Increase the academic achievement of students in Science, Math, and ELA by June 2021and annually thereafter due to improved instruction through the delivery of blended, student-centered learning using technology.

Objective 2.1: Increase growth in Math, Science, and Reading (ELA) by 5 percentage points.
Objective 2.1: Increase growth in Math and Science 5 percentage points for all students including ELL and SWD students.  This will be measured using baseline NYSED School Report Card Grade 4 and 8 Science Performance tests from 2020-2021 compared after the first full year of implementation (Grade 5 will be included once testing begins per NYSED).

Educators will participate in a 5 Day Certification Summer Institute in which they will be immersed in the NYS Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards as well as the NYS Social Emotional Learning Benchmarks. Each session will include inclusion activities, engaging strategy, brain breaks and optimistic closings. Educators will experience the standards at work and facilitators will model the standards and instructional technology integration throughout the 5 days while using research artifacts such as articles, videos, and learning experiences to increase the knowledge of the attendees. Overarching NYS Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards to be embedded throughout the entire experience are Digital Literacy Standards and Impact of Computer Standards. Educators will adapt and/or create new lessons/units tied to the learning throughout the cohort to integrate the NYS CSDF Standards. Educators will have the opportunity (optional) to utilize a Swivl recording device to receive growth producing feedback from facilitators of integration of the standards and student engagement within their classroom. Educators will submit a portfolio which illustrates integration of the standards into curriculum within their classroom by May of each year. Once educators submit portfolio, they will receive a certificate of completion and badge indicating they are a certified NYS Computer Science and Digital Fluency Certified Educator. Educators will continue their learning through coaching monthly webinars, which will focus on additional standard integration exemplars. Teachers will participate in one themed coaching webinar per month from September – April.  Webinars will allow for further exemplars to be shared, and for discussions around classroom integration, reflection, questions, and troubleshooting.

Push-in Support/Coaching:  Teachers will receive up to five days (per district) of NYSCATE facilitator-led push-in support and coaching to reinforce pedagogy and technology integration, including a focus on ELL and SWD student needs.

Teachers will develop the skills to create Standards-Driven Learning Experiences aligned to the NYS Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards; implement pedagogical protocols/strategies to engage learners to achieve the NYS Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards; integrate instructional technology tools that enhance NYS Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards aligned learning experiences; design student-centered learning experiences with authentic tasks that tell me what my students know; and create a culture of learning.

As part of the project, a series of videos will be developed to promote and inform students about computer science, engineering and other careers in these fields.  Local businesses and professionals will be highlighted in this series and the video interviews can be viewed and used for instructional purposes.  This work will support our efforts with the FLREDC (Regional Business consortium) and build student understanding and awareness around possible career paths connected to the NYS Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards.

Summer Institute Overview -

Educators will participate in a 5 Day Certification Summer Institute in which they will be immersed in the NYS Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards as well as the NYS Social Emotional Learning Benchmarks.

The five-day Certification Summer Institute includes:

• Day #1:
  NYS Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards Overview including the “why” and the organization of standards into concepts and sub-concept areas

• Day #2:
  Unpacking the NYS Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards - Impacts on Computing and Computational Thinking

• Day #3:
  Unpacking the NYS Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards – Networks and System Design and Cybersecurity and participation in interactive stations aligned to specific NYS Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards

• Day #4:
  Unpacking the NYS Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards – Digital Literacy

• Day #5:
  Designing student-centered learning experiences (lessons/units) that integrate the NYS Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards

Monthly Coaching Webinars -

Educators will continue their learning through coaching monthly webinars, which will focus on additional standard integration exemplars.Teachers will participate in one themed coaching webinar per month from September–April. Webinars will allow for further exemplars to be shared, and for discussions around classroom integration, reflection, questions, and troubleshooting. 

Push-in Support/Coaching -

Teachers will receive up to five days (per district) of NYSCATE facilitator-led push-in support and coaching to reinforce pedagogy and technology

ISTE Certification -

In addition, up to 25 teachers will be able to pursue International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) certification. This prestigious certification requires additional coursework and enriches teaching skills and knowledge. In addition, a number of teachers are already serving as coaches. This credential will be a benefit in this role and may encourage them to pursue additional training to district teachers.