The development of the Standards Aligned System (SAS) initiative has been a signature effort of the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) in order to dramatically improve student achievement across the Commonwealth. Efforts, to date, have focused on identifying, organizing and disseminating high-quality resources and researched-based strategies to educators across Pennsylvania, centered on the six SAS elements.

With the overwhelming success of (SAS), the SAS Model District (SASMD) project is the next logical step to ensure that educators across Pennsylvania know the value of SAS as a tool to improve student achievement. Most importantly, educational leaders must clearly understand and implement the methods and strategies required for full SAS implementation in a school’ss daily practice so that student achievement can be significantly improved.

PDE will select a small number of demographically diverse school districts (between four and eight) to serve as model districts for the SASMD project.   The kickoff event for this project is scheduled for October 16 – 18, 2011.

Benefits of district participation include:

• Gain statewide recognition as a model SAS district and develop district experts in SAS.

• Improve student achievement in all subgroups.

• Participate in ongoing professional development, with support from expert consultants.

• Become part of a statewide network of other educators working intensively on becoming SASMD.

• Share and collaborate with other districts and schools involved in the model project.

• Work with Dr. Grant Wiggins, international educational researcher, as he shares his expertise in curriculum and teaching.

• Fulfill some state planning mandates.

The following application parameters below will apply:

• Enrollment is limited to four to eight districts.

• Teams require a minimum of five members to a maximum of eight.

• The superintendent must be a team member and the remaining team participants must include the following roles: a district designee for curriculum and supervision, special education director, a building administrator, a teacher and an intermediate unit (IU) representative (In some instances, one individual may assume multiple roles).

• Teams will collaborate with their local IU for the duration of the three-year project.

• Teams must commit in the second and third year of the project to share information and successes with financially distressed districts throughout the Commonwealth.

All interested districts are invited to apply for the SASMD by accessing the application at http://video.paiunet.org/ or http://www.pdesas.org/ and submit a completed application by August 30, 2011. In addition to the application, this site includes a podcast, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and other supportive materials that provide details on the SASMD.