The Standards-Based Resource Information System is a platform for Florida's educators to build, align, and share resources that are tied to the Next Generation Sunshine State Standars (NGSSS). This system will provide:
- tools to align existing resources to the NGSSS
- tools to share the aligned resources on the perspective related benchmark/access point pages with everyone in the state
- a uniquely designed lesson planning tool that guides the teacher on creating excellent lesson plans around the NGSSS and enable them to share them with everyone else in the state
- a rigorous electronic review system that enable content experts and expert teachers to provide thorough reviews and feedback on all submitted resources
- a feedback process that enables one-on-one professional development from experts to teachers
Currently, CPALMS is tasked to offer these tools and services for mathematics and science. These tools have been designed to allow expansion to other subjects when funding becomes possible. The CPALMS review team has 50+ trained volunteer peer reviewers from all around the state and 5 staff members with research and subject matter expertise. Together, the review team provides a thorough review for each submitted resource before it is shared on the public website.
This system will also provide professional development modules, progression mapping tools, and other great resource tools that are built to support the implementation of the NGSSS. Please navigate the tabs above for more information on this system.
|
Standards-Based Resource Information System Components
|
 |
The following are the key components of the Standards-Based Resource Information System:
Resource Alignment Tools
CPALMS received funding through the Partnership to Rejuvenate and Optimize Mathematics and Science Education (PROMiSE) in Florida to provide tools and professional development for teachers to align resources with the NGSSS. PROMiSE is funded by the Math & Science Partnership initiative that requires providing professional development for teachers to enhance their content knowledge and their familiarity with the math and science standards. Teachers will use these tools to: align a resource that they develop or find on the public domain to the NGSSS and Florida's courses; create a new resource for a specific benchmark or access point; or help them align a resource to which they have access. In addition, the teacher can choose to share their own alignment results with others, if they choose. This module is mainly dedicated to assist teachers aligning resources specifically to NGSSS and Florida's approved courses. Some of these tools are:
- Lesson planning tool with multiple templates and designed around the NGSSS
- Web resource alignment tool
- Math formative assessment task development tool
- Instructional unit alignment tool
- Other resource alignment tools that include resources such as: virtual manipulatives, videos, activities, worksheets, etc...
Alignment Review and Feedback
CPALMS will create a module that includes forms and a review process for all the resources that teachers align to the benchmarks. The CPALMS team of math and science content specialists will review teacher alignments and resource content for accuracies and provide feedback, when needed, to improve the teachers understanding of the benchmarks and aligning resources to them. The content specialists will not author new resources, but focus on reviewing and providing professional development to teachers, as the funding source requires. The reviewers will also train the District Resource Teachers (DRTs) within PROMiSE on resource alignment reviews, content review, and, mostly, providing feedback to teachers. Reviewers will utilize this system for conducting their review and providing feedback. If the teacher chooses to share their resources and the NGSSS alignment and resource are approved by the reviewer, the alignment metadata and resource information is shared on the benchmark pages for teachers, parents and students to use.
FCAT Sample Test Items
The Department of Education is creating Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) sample test items for all the benchmarks that will be assessed by the FCAT. These test items will serve as examples and support the test item specifications. Through the CPALMS project, these sample test items will be part of a resource database that will be displayed with the public on the benchmark pages within the Standards Information System. The Department will have a new module within the management console to add additional sample test items and align them to the NGSSS. Anytime a sample test item is added, it will automatically be displayed on the perspective benchmark pages throughout CPALMS and all its systems. Each of the sample test items will be delivered on an individual webpage and linked to and from the benchmark page rather than a single PDF document. A single document of all sample test items will be generated automatically by the system similar to the documents created for the benchmarks. Displaying each sample test item on the related benchmark page provides convenience to the user and ease of access.
Formative Assessment Tool and Activities
Florida State University is currently building formative assessment activities for Mathematics grades K-3. Through this project, a new module will be added into the Standards-Based Resource Information System. These activities will be shared as resources on each of the benchmark pages. K-3 Math teachers will have access to a tool within CPALMS that allows them to checkout an activity for their use in the classroom. Once the teacher performs the assessment, s/he will be able to use the diagnostic tool to determine the level of understanding for each of the students and receive guidance for creating instructional strategies.
Professional Development Tool & Services
CPALMS aim to host all relevant information that relate to the NGSSS and Florida's courses including professional development modules developed by the Florida Department of Education or through their grants. This will provide a one-stop location for the educators to use.
State Adopted Curriculum
The Department of Education is tasked to organize the textbook adoption submission, review and dissemination process. CPALMS aims to revise the current process and share the output through a new web-based system that provide tools for publishers to align textbooks to the NGSSS, reviewers to perform electronic review of these alignments, and educators to view textbook alignments through CPALMS. This system is currently a concept and not in development.
We welcome all suggestions and comments about CPALMS. We like to hear from you about any ideas or suggestions you have for us to incorporate to make CPALMS better for Florida's educators.
For suggestions and comments, please email us at: cpalms@lsi.fsu.edu