High Growth Title I Schools Best First Instruction

Best First Instruction

While the need for best first instruction is well understood in the field, it is not necessarily in place at our highest need schools. Instead, practitioners often look to interventions as the solution for students that are below proficient. In fact, it takes best first instruction and appropriate, aligned interventions in order to ensure that students catch-up and keep-up, (as noted in the state’s accountability system). Both of these areas must be in place if educators are to make a difference with at-risk students.

According to the reports generated by the ESP reviews, the following were the highest ranked Instruction standard indicators among all schools:

The schedule is designed to provide quality instructional time
Instructional strategies are planned, delivered, and monitored to meet the changing needs of a diverse student population
Instructional services are provided to students to address individual needs and to close learning gaps
Teachers analyze student work as well as test results to assess student progress and achievement, identify achievement gaps, and make changes to instruction
Classroom assessments are frequent, rigorous, and aligned with standards

For more information regarding implementation of this standard, follow this link to be directed to the Best First Instruction section of the High Growth Title I Schools Study: Summary Report.

Videos

Video clips of principals discussing their successes with some of the best first instruction indicators:

Data informs teaching and learning
- Best first instruction video 1 - Principal discusses using data to set grade-level and teacher goals.
Quality instructional time
- Best first instruction video 2 and video 3 - Principals are deliberate about protecting instructional time.
Well-planned lessons framed around standards/curricula
- Best first instruction video 4 - Principal talks about connecting instruction to standards.

Reports

Follow the links below for more information on how these schools are implementing best first instruction.

Effective School Practices (ESP) review reports