November 2018 Message from the Superintendent

Teachers Tech It to the Next Level
Ed Tech Methods Course


They began with the story of Snow White. A group of fourth graders at Kelly Elementary used the beloved story to learn about character traits, vocabulary words, and dictionary skills; then they used Google Drawings, hyperlinking, and Google Images to demonstrate what they learned and share it with their classmates. Their project shows illustrations of the evil queen, contains links to Webster’s Dictionary for definitions of words such as “arrogant,” and quotes the text (e.g., “‘…whenever she looked at Snow White her heart turned over in her body, so great was her hatred for the girl.’ (paragraph 16)”) to support their conclusions.

The students’ teacher, Amy Adams, is using the skills she learned in her Ed Tech Methods course, taught by CUSD’s Joseph Hartman (Director of Assessment and Technology) and Robert Allen (TOSA-Technology Teacher on Special Assignment) to involve her students in a new way. The Ed Tech Methods course is designed to support teachers possessing advanced technology skills — the “high flyers”—who are ready to take the next step in classroom innovations.

It is a priority for the District to offer all its teachers professional development in the latest instructional technologies reflecting the skills required of 21st century professionals. One of the challenges is that each teacher has different needs and different levels of technological expertise. So, besides offering training sessions for teachers several times a year on topics such as assessments and Google applications, CUSD also offers, through Alludolearning.com, self-paced online courses that allow teachers to learn at their own pace, at school or at home. In addition, some teachers attend technology-related conferences, taking in the state-of-the-art and then communicating it to their fellow teachers.

This new Ed Tech Methods course is intended to be a “trainer of trainers” forum. The thirteen K-12 teachers taking the course are both proficient and motivated to collaborate with their colleagues and to share what they have learned. They are developing powerful uses of multimedia tools in the classroom — such as Soundtrap (an online, collaborative music-making program) and WeVideo (a cloud-based online video editing software similar to iMovie) — for project-based learning. And they are demonstrating how students can create podcasts, interactive websites, or videos that can help share their knowledge with fellow students.

The Ed Tech teachers are also using more multimedia, research, and assessment tools for inquiry-based assignments that call for diving more deeply into conceptual questions. Rather than simply ask “What are the rules of grammar?” students might ask “Why do we have rules of grammar? What are grammar’s functions? What if we didn’t have grammar?” As students work to find answers and present their findings, they learn important soft skills, such as researching, creative and critical thinking, and effective communication.

CUSD’s technology instruction is based on standards adopted by the International Society for Technology in Education. It aims to train teachers to integrate advanced technologies and digital and media literacy into their instruction to enhance student learning. This group of power users looks to expand their knowledge of technology tools and explore ways to use these tools to intensify student learning.

Technology TOSA Allen says, "We are excited to continue working with Carlsbad staff, students, and community members to develop methods for supporting innovative teaching and learning with Ed Tech via multifaceted-approaches to professional development."

October 2018 Message from the Superintendent

How Are We Doing?

As we launch the 2018-19 school year it’s important to know where we are headed. We begin with a fresh slate, new plans, and new goals. And, since we are a data-driven organization, it is important that we examine what worked before and what areas we need focus on to be sure that our students are learning what they need to know.


This time of year there is a lot of talk about test scores—how did we do last year, and where are we going this year? I can tell you: Our students are doing great. Our district’s SBAC (Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium) scores continue to show an upward trend over four years of testing — with a strong 75% of our students Meeting or Exceeding the Standards in English Language Arts, and over 66% Meeting or Exceeding the Standards in Math. Across grade levels and subject areas, our students are achieving.


Is it all about the test scores? No, but the SBAC scores provide us with a wealth of data that we can use to find out whether what we are doing in the classroom is working, and to help us determine areas where we need to focus our attention. SBAC scores help us answer questions such as “How well do students understand stories and information that they read?” “How well do students communicate in writing?” and “How well can students show and apply their problem-solving skills?”


As we roll out our new curricula in Elementary English Language Arts, and in Open Educational Resources (internet-based, freely accessible, openly licensed text and media for learning) in secondary English classrooms, we can use these SBAC tools to monitor student learning. In addition, the SBAC data make it possible to compare scores with students across the state, or student achievement over time.


But, again, we do not want to place too much emphasis on SBAC scores alone. We believe it is also important to use multiple measures to determine individual student progress and student achievement districtwide. So, every day and in every classroom, teachers are monitoring students’ progress through class and group discussions, projects and portfolios, and expressions of creativity and insight


Looking at the performance of our English Learning (EL) students, 21% of EL students were redesignated as Fluent English Proficient last year, as compared to 14% statewide.


Our graduation rate is an impressive 94%, compared to 87% statewide. 81% percent of our students go on to college, compared with the national rate of 69%. And 76% of our graduates are UC/CSU (A through G) eligible, as compared to 47% statewide. Our high school Advanced Placement (AP) test pass rate is 81%; the California passage rate, in contrast, is only 63%. And our commitment to increasing access to AP for underrepresented students has resulted in our third AP District Honor Roll award


Of all CUSD students’ SAT results, 92% meet ELA Benchmarks, compared to 72% of California’s test-takers. Seventy-nine percent of CUSD’s SAT math scores meet math benchmarks, compared to 51% statewide, And 82% of CUSD students taking the ACT meet the College Readiness Composite, which describes the minimum ACT test scores required for students to have a high probability of success in credit-bearing college courses.


An important indicator of student success, further, is the extent to which they feel connected with their school and their fellow students. According to the California Healthy Kids Survey, 95% of CUSD students say they “feel connected” to school, and the district recorded a notable 96% attendance rate in 2017-18. “Where Everyone Belongs” (WEB) clubs at all middle schools, 120 high school clubs, and Carlsbad High School’s designation as the Most Spirited School in the Nation, all contribute to our student’s sense of belonging.


Carlsbad Unified is always looking for new ways to measure student growth. This year we are looking at ways to measure the achievement of our graduate profile attributes, which describe the qualities that a Carlsbad Unified graduate should attain. We are also looking at ways to measure Work-Based Learning Experiences; additional measurement of learning for English Language Learners; and Career Pathway Completers.


Carlsbad Unified is committed to using data to ensure that our students are learning what they need to learn, in order to achieve at high levels.