Resources

Critical Issues for Team Consideration

A team self-assessment covering norms, SMART goals, essential learnings, common assessments, proficiency criteria, use of results, and intervention. Helps teams name their current reality.

How we'll use it: Use as a baseline check (Meeting 3), then revisit at midyear and end-of-year (Meeting 18). A good, non-punitive Guiding Coalition monitoring tool.

Used in: M3 M4 M18

Cultural Shifts in a Professional Learning Community

Names the mindset shifts that define a real PLC — from a focus on teaching to a focus on learning, from isolation to collaboration, and from "my kids" to "our kids."

How we'll use it: Use as the opening culture-setting document (Meeting 1). Have teams highlight where they currently operate and circle the shifts EMS is working toward this year.

Used in: M1

Developing Team Norms

A structured process for teams to create 4–6 behavior-based norms — not generic statements like "be respectful," but commitments that protect the work when it gets uncomfortable.

How we'll use it: Use before teams start content work (Meeting 2). Each PLT drafts norms it will actually hold itself to, especially when looking at shared student evidence.

Used in: M2

Establishing Team Roles

Clarifies who facilitates, records notes, watches time, brings data, and follows up — so meetings produce something instead of drifting into informal conversation.

How we'll use it: Use alongside team norms (Meeting 2). Assign facilitator, recorder, timekeeper, and data lead, and revisit as needed.

Used in: M2

Protocol for Reviewing Team Norms

A short routine for revisiting and reaffirming norms once a team has been working together for a few meetings.

How we'll use it: Use in the first buffer meeting (Meeting 4) to reset culture and clear up confusion before the learning-cycle work begins.

Used in: M4

Deconstructing an Essential Standard

Breaks a standard into what students must know, understand, and be able to do — the bridge from a broad standard to teachable, assessable learning targets.

How we'll use it: Use right after a team identifies its essential standard (Meetings 5 and 6).

Used in: M5 M6

Developing a Success Checklist for a Learning Intention

A template for building clear success criteria for each learning target.

How we'll use it: Use to make proficiency concrete (Meetings 7 and 8).

Used in: M7 M8

Gaining Shared Clarity

Helps a team reach genuine agreement on what proficiency looks like — so the same assessment isn't scored through different lenses.

How we'll use it: Use when defining proficiency (Meeting 7) and revisit to calibrate before designing the assessment (Meeting 8).

Used in: M7 M8

Standards Unpacking Template

A template for turning standards into learning targets and student-friendly "I can" statements.

How we'll use it: Use after essential standards are selected (Meeting 6). Pairs directly with the EMS Learning Target Breakdown.

Used in: M6

Using REAL to Identify Essential Standards

Helps teams decide what is truly essential using four filters: Readiness, Endurance, Assessed, and Leverage. Especially useful for teams that want to teach everything equally.

How we'll use it: Use when selecting the one essential standard for this year's cycle (Meeting 5).

Used in: M5

Building a Common Formative Assessment

Keeps teams focused on aligning a common assessment to essential standards, learning targets, rigor, and agreed proficiency — designed to inform instruction, not just generate a grade.

How we'll use it: Use before teams create or revise the CFA (Meeting 9).

Used in: M9

List of Common Misconceptions for an Essential Outcome

A place to record the misconceptions students commonly hold about the essential outcome, so teams can teach and check for them proactively.

How we'll use it: Use during the mid-cycle troubleshooting meeting (Meeting 12) to adjust instruction while learning is still happening.

Used in: M12

Pacing Guide for a Cycle of Instruction

Maps out the instruction-teach-assess window for the learning cycle so the team teaches with the end in mind.

How we'll use it: Use when planning instruction before the CFA (Meeting 11) and revisit during the mid-cycle check (Meeting 12).

Used in: M11 M12

Prerequisite Planning Document

Helps teams surface the prerequisite skills and knowledge students need before tackling the essential standard.

How we'll use it: Use during instructional planning (Meeting 11) to anticipate gaps before they show up on the assessment.

Used in: M11

Using the ACID Test to Evaluate a Common Formative Assessment

A quality-control check applied after the CFA is drafted. Prevents a "common quiz" from being mistaken for a true common formative assessment.

How we'll use it: Use to pressure-test the draft assessment before giving it (Meeting 10).

Used in: M10

Actionable Data Tool

A simple structure for recording results so the team can plan how data will be captured and acted on — by student and by target.

How we'll use it: Use to plan data collection (Meeting 10) and again when reviewing reassessment results (Meeting 17).

Used in: M10 M17

Item-Analysis Sheet Template

A simple way to record item-by-item or target-by-target results so teams see patterns instead of only total scores.

How we'll use it: Use during the CFA data review (Meeting 13).

Used in: M13

Team Protocol for Analyzing Assessment Results

One of the most important tools: walks teams through "What? So what? Now what?" and pushes them toward intervention, extension, and teacher learning.

How we'll use it: Use every time a team brings CFA data (Meeting 13), when discussing teacher learning (Meeting 14), and again at reassessment (Meeting 17).

Used in: M13 M14 M17

Creating a Tiered Task Card to Extend Student Learning

Helps teams design deeper learning for students who are already proficient — so extension is deeper work, not just more work.

How we'll use it: Use to plan extension alongside intervention (Meeting 15) and revisit to monitor it (Meeting 16).

Used in: M15 M16

Targeting Tier 2 Interventions for an Individual Student

A more individualized support plan for a student who needs more than the first reteach/reassess cycle.

How we'll use it: Use as needed when a student requires support beyond the team's first intervention round.

Team Flexible Time Planning Prompts

Prompts for planning how flexible/intervention time will actually be used across the team.

How we'll use it: Optional support during the intervention/extension check (Meeting 16).

Used in: M16

Team-Based Intervention Plan for Struggling Learners

Moves a team from "these students didn't get it" to "here is what we're doing, who's doing it, and how we'll know if it worked."

How we'll use it: Use to plan a timely, targeted, directive response after data analysis (Meeting 15) and revisit to monitor it (Meeting 16).

Used in: M15 M16

Evidence of Practice in Action — Teacher Self-Reflection

Keeps the focus on teacher learning, not just student deficits. Teams ask, "What did we learn instructionally?"

How we'll use it: Use after the data review, before planning intervention (Meeting 14).

Used in: M14

Learning Team Quarterly Reflection

A gentle, non-punitive reflection on team progress. Good for closing a cycle and for Guiding Coalition monitoring.

How we'll use it: Use to close the year and plan the next cycle (Meeting 18), and once per quarter with each PLT.

Used in: M18

EMS Template: Common Formative Assessment Planner

Aligns each assessment item to a learning target, rigor level, and the agreed proficient response, with data-review dates.

How we'll use it: Complete in Step 4 / Meetings 9–10.

EMS Template: Essential Standards Organizer

Organizes each essential standard into what students must know, do, the academic vocabulary, and what proficiency looks like.

How we'll use it: Complete in Step 2 / Meeting 5 as you identify your essential standard.

EMS Template: Extension Planning Tool

Plans deeper learning for proficient students: evidence of proficiency, the extension task, and the depth/application required.

How we'll use it: Complete in Step 7 / Meeting 15.

EMS Template: Intervention Planning Tool

Plans a timely, targeted response by student: the specific need, strategy, who supports, when, and reassessment evidence.

How we'll use it: Complete in Step 6 / Meeting 15.

EMS Template: Learning Target Breakdown

Breaks an essential standard into learning targets with student-friendly "I can" statements and how each will be taught and checked.

How we'll use it: Complete in Step 3 / Meeting 6.

EMS Template: Student Learning Evidence Protocol

Sorts students by learning target into proficient, not-yet-proficient, and ready-for-extension, with patterns and notes.

How we'll use it: Complete in Step 5 / Meeting 13.

EMS Template: Teacher Learning Reflection

Captures what worked, the evidence for it, who can share the strategy, and what the team will try next.

How we'll use it: Complete in Step 8 / Meeting 14.

EMS Template: Team Commitments

EMS-ready team commitments, roles, and meeting logistics — an editable equivalent inspired by the PLC at Work process.

How we'll use it: Complete in Step 1 / Meeting 2 as your team's foundation document.

Glossary of Key Terms and Concepts

Shared definitions for terms like essential learning, common formative assessment, intervention, extension, team norms, and continuous improvement.

How we'll use it: Keep in the appendix and reference whenever teams are still building shared vocabulary.

Team SMART Goal Template

A structure for writing a measurable student-learning goal once a team has baseline data.

How we'll use it: Use once teams understand essential standards and CFAs — not before. Layer it in when a team is ready for a measurable goal.