Florida
Florida Department of Education
Mission: The mission of Florida's K-20 education system is to increase the proficiency of all students within one seamless, efficient system by allowing them the opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills through learning opportunities and research valued by students, parents, and communities.
Vision: Florida will have an efficient world-class education system that engages and prepares all students to be globally competitive for college and careers.
The Florida Department of Education is in their second year of partnering with the SISEP Center.
Florida's Team Structure
Executive Sponsors of SISEP Partnership:
- Dr. Paul O. Burns, Deputy Chancellor for Educator Quality
SISEP Implementation Specialist:
Director of the National Implementation Research Network (NIRN) at Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Ward provides intensive and informed implementation supports to state and local education systems nationally through her work as the co-director of the State Implementation and Scaling-up of Evidence-based Practices Center, Center on School Turnaround, and National Center for Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning.
State Management Team (SMT) – The SMT consists of the Deputy Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, and Director of Implementation Science. The team meets every other week to problem-solve, align activities to the B.E.S.T. Standards implementation, and plan the Department’s support for the districts/consortium in the Implementation Zone.
State Implementation Team (SIT) – The SIT consists of the Deputy Chancellor, two Vice Chancellors, Deputy Director of Just Read, Florida, and Director of the Office of STEAM. The SIT has actively facilitated the development of the B.E.S.T. Standards Practice Profile and professional learning and supports to districts/consortium in the Implementation Zone.
Florida's Approach
The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) has developed an Implementation Zone to support the large-scale implementation of evidence-based practices and programs. This includes Florida’s new Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) Standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics.
Five Florida school districts, plus a consortium that serves thirteen (13) of Florida’s small and rural districts in the northeastern region of the state, comprise the Implementation Zone.
Florida's Focus
Florida is in the process of implementing its new Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) Standards in districts and schools across the state. Current Implementation Zone efforts aim to build capacity focusing primarily on K-2 English Language Arts (ELA).
Evidence-Based Practice: Classroom instructional practices to achieve the B.E.S.T. Standards
Florida's Current Journey
Stage of Implementation: Installation/Initial Implementation
The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) is currently working with Implementation Zone districts and consortia to build common language and knowledge around implementation science and the B.E.S.T. Standards. The process includes scaffolded implementation teams, communication protocols, and professional learning and coaching structures.
FDOE and partners, Region 7 Comprehensive Center (R7CC), and NIRN provide professional learning and assist school and district teams in building capacity in supporting the implementation of the B.E.S.T Standards.
FDOE provides individual planning sessions that occur as a follow up from whole-group professional learning with each district/consortium. To date, eight professional learning opportunities have been offered to the Implementation Zone.
FDOE supports monthly DIT meetings in the Implementation Zone districts and visits identified schools.
Teachers in all identified schools within the Implementation Zone districts have been trained on the PreK-5 ELA Practice Profile.
Members of the DIT have been trained on the OTISS for instructional observations. The teams have worked to achieve IOA and have access to the data platform within SISEP.org.
FDOE provides Implementation Science learning experiences during weekly Division of Public Schools leadership calls.
FDOE presents Implementation Science at a variety of state meetings and conferences.
Florida State Capacity Assessment has been completed three times.
District Capacity Assessments have been completed in the 5 districts in the Implementation Zone and the Regional Capacity Assessment was completed with the regional consortium.
Florida State Capacity Assessment
Florida State Capacity Assessments
Florida State Capacity Assessments
Florida's Next Steps
Challenges: The timeline of the B.E.S.T. Standards implementation has created urgency. Districts have selected and will implement curricular materials in the Fall.
Successes: Executive leadership participation and engagement are high. The commitment to the work has been critical to the progress made. In addition to internal leadership, leadership within the Implementation Zone is engaged in the professional learning opportunities that have been provided. The R7CC also led a rapid process for the co-creation of a Practice Profile for the PreK-5 ELA B.E.S.T. Standards.
Next Steps: The Florida Department of Education plans to continue to support capacity-building efforts of districts and consortia while building tools that districts across the state can use. The FDOE will support the districts and consortia as they develop plans to scale up.
Built with Shorthand