Using Limited Resources To Support Statewide Curriculum and Instructional Improvement
Policy Rationale and Goals:
South Dakota uses a variety of methods to inform and involve teachers. Because
the state offices are small and have relatively few resources for staffing,
South Dakota's Division of Workforce and Career Preparation in the Department
of Education focuses on providing technical assistance rather than emphasizing
their role 
as compliance officers. Over the years, state staff members have
developed a variety of methods to best utilize the limited staff time and to
assist as many teachers and schools as possible.
While technical assistance efforts are primarily designed to serve the needs of districts, schools, and teachers throughout the state, the Department of Education also strives to reinforce the expertise of teachers as a resource for local training and staff development to their colleagues. By providing "train the trainer" workshops, South Dakota staff members essentially expand their numbers, building a cadre of professionals who are also well-versed in providing technical assistance. In addition, state staff provides regional trainings on topic areas such as developing "crosswalks" which identify common skills and knowledge across subject areas.
Other technical assistance strategies in South Dakota are the publication of resources for teachers detailing integrated projects and activities and the identification of model sites that exemplify promising instructional strategies such as using block scheduling or integrating academic and vocational technical courses.
In all of these strategies, the desired outcome for state personnel is to facilitate the provision of technical assistance and the sharing of information across the state rather than serving as a sole source of information. In this way, the staff believes that greater numbers of individuals will get assistance and, moreover, that the professional ties among teachers will be strengthened.
Implementation Strategies
Conducting Train the Trainer and Regional Workshops
South Dakota has developed a Train-the-Trainer model for teachers and administrators in the state. The individuals participating in the training are encouraged to share what they have learned with others. Another goal of these sessions is to provide a forum for academic and technical teachers to collaborate, whether at the training session or back in their schools. One topic covered recently at a workshop was "Designing Courses for Quality Learning."
Developing crosswalks is one of the first topics covered in regional trainings. Crosswalks are comparisons of at least two different sets of standards in two or more subject areas, such as a vocational and an academic area, so that integrated or common skills and knowledge can be more easily determined. Training sessions have also been conducted to provide all participants with information on the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) competencies and how those can be "crosswalked" to academic and vocational technical subject areas. While the use of crosswalks is currently voluntary, the state has considered making them mandatory. This would create a potential need for further training and dissemination. In addition to familiarizing teachers and administrators with the concept of crosswalks, these initial sessions have provided vital information to state staff as the state finalizes its decision on the use of crosswalks.
Collecting, Publishing, and Disseminating Materials
The South Dakota Division of Workforce and Career Preparation collects and publishes applied academic and integrated activities and projects that have been successfully implemented in classrooms in a volume entitled Education Activities for the Classroom. (Kucker, 1998a) The volume is distributed throughout the state by the Tech Prep/Career Guidance Initiatives Office. Ideas generated by the field in classrooms are synthesized using a standardized format that includes contact information from the submitting teacher. State staff members work directly with the sites submitting documents to assist them in meeting activity and publication standards. With the recent publication of the third edition of this resource, the number of items submitted and included in the publication continues to grow.
By publishing this document, South Dakota hopes to encourage collaborative learning teachers. Sharing ideas among colleagues strengthens professional bonds between teachers and provides teachers with activities that have already been tested in the classroom. The publication process also serves as a method of recognizing teachers who are using exciting or novel approaches in their classrooms; having an item selected is in itself an honor.
A resource book for trainers called Putting the Pieces Together: South Dakota Integration Training Model serves as a resource for teachers interested in integrating academic and vocational technical education. (Kucker, 1998c) Topics range from curriculum alignment to standards to instructional strategies and assessment; a bibliography of resources is also included.
With the emphasis in new legislation on involving parents in career education planning, South Dakota has made this one of its key foci in offering technical assistance. A training manual entitled Parents as Partners in Career Education has been compiled and workshops are held across the state. (Kucker, 1998b)
Selecting Model Sites
South Dakota selects demonstration sites to serve as resources for other schools to implement Tech Prep programs. Schools are selected as model sites using a number of considerations as guidelines:the size of the school; geographic location; and types of innovative practices, such as block scheduling, integrated curriculum and applied academics as a means of raising standards, business involvement, and work-based learning for students and teachers. From these considerations, a representative group is selected as model sites in the state.
Lessons Learned: South Dakota is continuing to work on finding ways to best leverage its scarce personnel resources. The "train the trainer" model and the use of training guides will continue to play a large role in this effort. South Dakota is also building on its work with model sites. The eight original sites again served as model sites and a ninth site was added to the list. The model site program drew almost 450 participants during 1998. Schools frequently contact demonstration sites for help in implementing innovative practices, so the lessons learned by the demonstration sites are beginning to be widely shared across the state.
Training sessions have grown and become more comprehensive over time. In addition, all state department staff collaborate so that the same terms and concepts are consistently used in trainings. Assessments conducted at the end of training sessions create the feedback needed to continually adjust and refine training sessions. Some of the training sessions are now being conducted regionally to allow teachers to meet and network with others from their area.
One of the most exciting outcomes of this work has been a shift in the perceptions and attitudes of teachers toward teaching. According to Dale Eggebraaten in the Division of Workforce and Career Preparation, "educators are now desiring to be facilitators of learning rather than lecturers." Teachers are beginning to embrace the practice of constant education and are modifying their curricula and instructional practices based upon new research and information. This shift has raised the excitement level of all involved, from the state personnel to the teachers in the classrooms.
Kucker, M. (1998a). Education activities for the classroom. Pierre: South Dakota Division of Workforce and Career Preparation.
Kucker, M., Smith-Rockhold, G., Wiese, V., & Bernis, D. (Comps.). (1998b). Parents as partners in career education. Pierre: South Dakota Division of Workforce and Career Preparation.
Kucker, M., Smith-Rockhold, G., Wiese, V., & Bernis, D. (Comps.). (1998c). Putting the pieces together: South Dakota Integration Training Model. Pierre: South Dakota Division of Workforce and Career Preparation.
South Dakota Tech Prep, South Dakota Department of Education and Cultural Affairs web site. Available on-line: <http://www.state.sd.us/state/executive/deca/workforc/techprep/techprep.htm>.
