Prerequisite: Selected school teams through application process.

The OPTIONS seminar is a two-year, eleven day series for school teams from third through eighth grade that focuses on differentiating instruction through:

• respectful tasks
• flexible grouping
• on-going assessment and adjustment
• positive learning environment
• clarity of learning goals

Content and activities balance between the philosophy of working with students who have diverse needs, developing key understandings of the principles and practices of differentiated instruction, and learning practical tools that can be implemented immediately in the classroom. Participants will practice a range of instructional and management strategies in accordance with student readiness, interests, learning styles and preferences. The series is based on the work of Carol Ann Tomlinson and other nationally recognized leaders in the area of differentiated instruction.

Each five-member school team must include an administrator and at least one exceptional education teacher. Participants will practice strategies and tools presented, maintain a learning journal, complete classroom-based application of differentiation, and participate in follow-up activities each year.

Eleven schools participated in the OPTIONS program during the 2006-2007 school year; 9 elementary schools and two middle schools. These schools reported significant progress in FCAT achievement for 2007. These gains included:

• 70% of students scored Level 3 or above in FCAT Reading (Grade 4)
• 33% increase in students scoring Level 3 or above in FCAT Reading (Grade 6)
• 91% of schools earned a grade of A or B

OPTIONS Project Schools 2007 - 2008

Contact: 
Sheri Fiskum fiskums@ocps.net

Other Facilitators:
Susan O'Rear  orears@ocps.net 
Marcia Levy  levym@ocps.net
Becky Finn finne@ocps.net