Not if the extra work : 1. detracts from instruction ( i.e. teachers spending time working on needless administrative duties rather than planning) and 2. is not compensated for.

Did you actually investigate AIM or did you rely on the person who has a personal interest? If the country is moving to a national curriculum (and it is) why is this needed at all? I am very, very sad about Balt.Co. and the direction it has taken.

"The goal, according to county educator Barbara Dezmon, who created the program, is to ensure all children are receiving the same education, regardless of where they are going to school."

This program sounds like a lot of extra work just to prove the above statement false.

Post @ Inside Ed Baltimore County Q&A to use progress-reporting system countywide.

Answer: YES the benefit of having much more detailed information about each student for teachers and parents outweigh whatever additional work might be involved?

Baltimore Sun reporter Arin Gencer next assignment needs to weigh in on to compare/contrast the Baltimore City Schools System Information Technology Teacher Support System (TSS) "PARENT PORTAL" which is our district wide on-line electronic vehicle that grants parents with the ability to access resources and information on three levels systemic resources, grade specific resources, grade marking periods related to each child student.

But in our inner city school district the PARENT PORTAL module which also has been in place for several years is systemically allowed to be under utilized and marginalized as a useable 21st century electronic on-line teacher/parent academic support system resource. For example, the same non professional development and non training problems described by teachers/parents as in Baltimore County above are the duplicate enablers barrier issues in the Baltimore City School System.

More snow to add to the blizzard that has consistently covered the reality in Baltimore County schools. Here is my take from the inside:

The AIM program is a great idea and a good REPLACEMENT for the 1930's model of reporting student progress - after all, what is the difference between a B and a C in algebra and how does that inform parents or students? However, this is an ADDITIONAL burden on teachers that are already spending far too much time dealing with reporting data. Last year, teachers were required to calculate interim report grades each quarter, report card grades and enter data into the AIM program. This was in addition to entering short cycle assessment and benchmark assessment grades. Each step in the process requires functional technology that is woefully slow and unreliable.

Unfortunately, BCPS can't seem to drop the ineffective practices so they continue to add on the "gimmick of the week."

All of this comes at the expense of well planned, sound instruction.

As for sharing the "copyrighted" program, I wonder if other systems outside of MD will need to pay for the rights - sounds like a nice retirement package to me...

When will the media start reporting what is really happening in BCPS? How about they look into why top level positions have a revolving door and how many remain vacant? Why don't they investigate who is really leading the county and what credentials they have to be driving the county further and further away from effective instruction and assessment practices? It is a sad day when you attend a workshop and overhear other teachers saying, "I'm so glad my children don't attend a Baltimore County Public School!"

I have said the same thing about my own kids, effective teacher. Unfortunately, we have had to look into private schools because the recent changes in BCPS are unacceptable for any child I love. The sad part is...the effects of the craziness will be realized in a few short years and then, it will take a long time to recover from the chaos. Sadly, it is a couple of adults too consumed with what they want to consider what our children really need.

I have a great tool in my school that allows me to get immediate assessment data from my students and aids in creating data driven instruction. I wish all the teachers in the district could use my Promethean Activotes to help them collect data. It would make their jobs easier! I believe there is even a voting device that can be used in Middle and High Schools that will allow the students to "text" answers back to the computer. This is so cool! I understand from my principal though that our orders for more of these great learning and instructional tools are being blocked by the county purchasing office. Why would we be blocked from getting something that would aid in the collection of assessment data?

AIM does not make sense. If the county tries to make it a reqirement, you will have more teachers sitting behind their desk to enter data instead of interacting with students. I agree though that if we did not do progress reports, interims and report cards then aim might be a possibility. It could replace each of those. teachers use a grading program, why not link that directly to AIM so you are only entering data in one place. I know I ask too much

A teacher, you might want to take a closer look at AIM before you commit to thinking that it would be a good way to report student progress....Take a very close look! What is happening in this school system? I pray that the truth will finally be revealed.

Baltimore County Educator...a better question might be who blocked it?

I am very familiar with the AIM. I have objectively researched it and studied it for many years in my various volunteer educational advocate positions I hold. Your question does the benefit of having more detailed information about what students should be learning in every course and a detailed progress reporting system that tracks whether or not they are indeed learning what they should be in every course is absolutely YES!! .The schools in the Southwest area that piloted the Articulated Instruction Module seemed to have success with it.Many parents speak very highly about it as well as teachers.
The AIM serves as the framework in ensuring that all children are receiving the same education, regardless of where they attend school.The school system is responsible for meeting high standards for ALL students.While student success depends on the student, it is the relationship between and among teacher, student, and parent that ultimately provides the supportive environment needed for high achievement.These detailed progress reports might add additional work in the beginning of full implementation systemwide but they go a long way in providing the supportive environment needed for high achievement for all students.

Recently, my wife and I had our first glimpse of AIM at our son's back to school night.
Parents and students across the county should stand together and applaud a document which provides teachers,parents and students the information to improve the communication,the quality of parent-student-teacher conferences and finally, a way for parents to know what is taught in each subject.
As a physician, the more I know about my patient, the better the treatment. Effective teachers want to know as much as they can about their students as learners in order to differntiate instruction and treatment for their students.
Teachers I spoke with in my son's school spoke of the quiz bank and activity support for each objective. Several shared the joy of the format in this century!

My wife teaches in a private school and plans to share the document and website with her school administration.

For far too long, grades have been too subjective and AIM provides the framework to know a student in any county school, no matter the location, has mastered the same set of objectives. No student should have to find out the A's they earned in one county school did not measure up the A's earned in other county schools, during the freshmen year of college.

Thank you, Dr. Dezmon.
Your dedication to students sets the bar where it needs to be for all. Hopefully, those teachers needing more support to see the future, get the support they need to transition into this century.

As a PTA President, at a local Northwest elementary school, our parents are thrilled with the AIM model. I have spoken to other PTA presidents and they share the same enthusiasm. Many parents hope this becomes the report card. This is all about home-school connections and helps parents better support children and achievement.

PTA President...Have you really looked at this? What does an A mean? What does an I represent? What does it mean that a child has mastered a skill? Are they finished with the skill? Does this really tell you more than a report card and a conference? I am very disturbed that my child will have this vague and to be frank, ridiculous, record become part of his permanent record. The frustrating part has been the lack of understanding and knowledge on the part of the public being led down a path that all of our children will pay for in the end. I am very saddened that a PTA President would endorse this. This is so sad! Remember what you supported when we see the results of giving into the small group of adults who think more about themselves than the kids they were called to serve.

Nice platitudes...wrong information, Jasmine.

Hey not of the fan club, it is not wrong information BECAUSE I DON'T AGREE WITH YOU. What makes you so condescending!!!. Who are you to tell me it's wrong information?I have alot of knowledge and understanding about it. And since you thought my comments to be nice platitudes, Let me be perfectly blunt now. The question asked by the blog was IS THE BENEFIT OF HAVING MUCH MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT EACH STUDENT FOR TEACHERS AND PARENTS OUTWEIGH WHATEVER ADDITIONAL WORK MIGHT BE INVOLVED?Well this is a no-brainer. Of course!!!
If you are a parent, student AND YES PTA President or basically the client your answer is definitely yes.Any parent who has been presented with an accurate explanation of AIM and the progress reports can't help but be impressed and want those reports for their child.IN fact they deserve it.
BUT,
If you are SOME OF THE teachers or union that represents those employees whose workload they believe will be greatly impacted the answer will definitely be no.The bottom line is whether the teachers union have the bargaining rights to negotiate curricular, instructional and reporting data which AIM and the progress reports fall under. I believe the answer is no.
The Board and school system have a responsibility to the students and parents.

You seem quite angry. Just to keep you informed. I am a parent, not a member of the teacher's union. I think your words and tone speak for themselves.

Jasmine is looking for a promotion.

I am not angry but overly compassionate and straightforward about what I believe is good for kids.I'd love to get a promotion but don't you have to be employed first.Anyway, it was not my intent to get away from the blogs original question and subject. that deals with what is best for students.

Those educators who are anti AIM are the same teachers who picketed boards of education when school desks were unscrewed from the floors and dunces stools and caps were removed from classrooms. Why would any modern teacher believe it fashionable to use a 1950 reporting system in the year 2010?
Next these teachers and the neo-TABCO would have us put away our calculators, hide our blackberries, and destroy our iPods and then have education administrators reinstate the slide rule, the McGuffie Reader, and grades A, B, C, D, F (E).

I think some of you have missed the point - most teachers agree that the AIM system is a great way to communicate very specific information to students, parents and future teachers as students progress. The issue at hand is that it has been added to a growing list of assessment and reporting tools. Lets lose some of the less effective and outdated tools and use the time saved to plan engaging lessons. As for the pilot in the SW area, I was part of it and it was in no way successful. Teachers were thrust into using the system with no training - even the folks from Curriculum and Instruction were in a daze trying to get objectives and KSI's entered into the system. Many aspects of the system were not in place, the technology didn't work in a consistent manner and some of the objectives were incorrect. It was a VERY frustration add on in some of the most challenging schools in the state.

I am a teacher in BCPS who was on a committee which wrote the AIM modules for physics a couple of years ago. It will be a LOT of extra work for teachers, and I personally don't believe it will help the average parent too much to know that their student has, for example, "moderate" mastery of the objective "Qualitative description of electric field created by a static charge distribution (point charge, line of charge, parallel plates)"

If parents want details about what their children do and do not understand, they can contact the teacher directly, like they've always done! I'm happy to respond to parent emails, phone calls, conference requests, etc. but force me to fill out a 40-item report card for each student I have, each marking period?? I call foul :)

It will be as easy way to communicate and get the information everyone wanted. This kind of work will help a lot to teachers and students.

What an absolute nighmare! Please let BCPS wake up soon.