Finding a school district in today's educational world of high stakes testing that is unwilling to buy into the “quick fix” is highly unusual. One school district in the Region 19 area has done just that, and in the process created an environment of self-efficacy and lifelong learning not only for their students, but also for their teachers and administrators.

For the first time in the history of San Elizario ISD, it received a TEA rating of “recognized” for it's accomplishments during the 2009-2010 school year. Despite this incredible success, the San Elizario ISD decided to take a step back to re-evaluate the level of implementation of their current curriculum. San Elizario was one of the first CSCOPE subscribers in the Region 19 area. They have always been strong proponents of standards-based instruction and teacher support.

At the end of the 2009-2010 school year, SEISD leaders determined that while they are currently experiencing great success, the impending changes to assessment would require a more rigorous approach to instruction. They recognized that in order for their district to maintain their success on the STAAR ® Assessment and End of Course exams, a stronger vertical alignment would be necessary.

During the summer of 2010, SEISD administrators met to determine which of the CSCOPE© documents would be considered negotiable and non-negotiable for the planning of instruction. It was during these meetings that SEISD administrators pledged their resolve to this initiative by ensuring that teachers would receive on-going professional development throughout the academic school year. Additionally, administrators are also receiving ongoing training that is fully aligned to the teacher training, better enabling them to provide their teachers with on- campus support.

The SEISD focus for the 2010-2011school year is the improvement of science instruction in all classrooms. Teacher leaders in grades K-8 will have the opportunity to attend on-going professional development intended to be used during professional learning team meetings. Information on upcoming units, content related misconceptions, pedagogy, and familiarization with the new Science TEKS are addressed during every session. Many of the processes that teachers practice during these sessions can be applied across the content areas so that they may impact all instruction.

Teachers have expressed the desire for growth and the appreciation for the opportunity to learn. One teacher stated, “It is extremely beneficial and imperative to understand that as an educator my ability to teach is only powerful when I know the outcome necessary and the process to get there. CSCOPE© does this for me.”

Teachers who may have initially struggled with the use of the CSCOPE© documents have acquired skills that have made the planning of instruction more meaningful. “I see this [Instructional Reconciliation Document] as an asset in my instruction; I see now how vital it is to my students' success.”

The Education Service Center -Region 19 is proud to highlight San Elizario ISD for their continued commitment to quality instruction for all students and support for all teachers.