Spreadsheet: 7424becb-aab9-431c-8521-d0608c0bd2e7
Sheet: 1. Standards & Curriculum

 | Functional Requirements
 | All of the following functionality is in the Thinkgate base system or on their development roadmap. |  | LEA Selected IIS
 | Requirement Description |  | Meets Requirement (Y/N)? | Tool Name | Level of Satisfaction (1, 2 or 3) | Comments
1.0 | Standards and Curriculum
1.1  Standards
Thinkgate Narrative: | Standards are stored in a hierarchical structure, with no limit (other than practical considerations) on depth, and free form choice for level names (e.g., standard, domain, element, objective).  Standards are grouped in standard sets (e.g., CCSS, State, [NAME]). Revision of standards is normally handled by Thinkgate support, but the maintenance user interface can be "turned on" for authorized users.  The standards search facility provides many ways to find and view standards.  Each standard includes a list/search of associated resources.  There is a cross-reference facility built into the solution that allows linkages between standards.  This facility is used currently for some reporting functions, and for support managed realignments of items and resources.  A future Elements Platform upgrade will expose these cross-references to users so they can see relationships between different standards.
1.1.1 | System utilizes multiple sets of standards with differing structures, hierarchy and terminology (e.g. [NAME], career/vocational tech, state, district, content standards, ELP standards, etc.) | Mandatory
1.1.3 | Provides for the definition and customization of standards terminology (e.g. redefine strand to another term) | Mandatory
1.1.4 | User with the appropriate rights will have the ability to import fully developed database of existing standards | Mandatory
1.1.5 | User with the appropriate rights will have the ability to revise the standards | Mandatory
1.1.6 | Provides a method to view and search standards by applying multiple filters such as:
 | a. by source or standard set (i.e. [NAME], vocational/career technical, state specific) | Mandatory
 | b. by subject/content area or career/vocational technical education career cluster/pathway (e.g. Math, ELA, Science, Automotive) | Mandatory
 | [NAME] grade level and grade range (e.g. 2 to 4) | Mandatory
 | d. by [NAME] (any word in the text) | Preferred
 | e. by standard identification number | Preferred
 | f.  by level (e.g. strand, level, topic, benchmark) | Preferred
 | g. by skill and sub skill levels | Preferred
1.1.7 | Provides a method for users to search for standards from one source (e.g. National standards) and link to those standards from a different source (e.g. State standards) | Preferred
1.1.8 | Provides users the ability to view standards and access assessments, assessment items, lesson plans, courses, units, objectives, activities, or resources that are linked to the selected standard | Mandatory
1.2  Curriculum Design and Management
Thinkgate Narrative: | The Elements Platform includes a template based document facility that supports customization, creation, and management of curriculum documents (e.g. unit plans, lesson plans).  This facility works with the resources facility which allows uploading and management of external documents or web links for curriculum documents.  Any existing curriculum maps/documents can be pulled into these structures.  For iniital bulk imports, Thinkgate support would work with the client to coordinate these imports.  One of the significant new Elements Platform upgrades scheduled for later this year is a more robust instructional planning facility, that will provide more calendar and linking functionality.  These upgrades will also extend the existing assignment of curriculum units to classes, and allow assignment to individual students and to student groups.
1.2.1 | Provides for the definition and customization of curriculum structures, hierarchy, and terminology (e.g. units, lessons) | Preferred
1.2.2 | Users with the appropriate state level role will be able to create, save and upload Model Curriculum Units (MCUs) for statewide distribution.  MCUs may include: | Preferred
 | a. desired results  (goals of the unit)
 | b. evidence (how will knowledge be verified, e.g. curriculum based assessment, quizzes, tests, observations, etc.)
 | [NAME] plans
 | [NAME] plans.
1.2.3 | Provides the functionality to import existing curriculum maps | Preferred
1.2.4 | Supports the creation of curriculum maps to coordinate the curriculum both vertically and horizontally | Mandatory
1.2.5 | Provides a tool to create curriculum maps in various time intervals (e.g. daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly) | Preferred
1.2.6 | Supports the building or construction of scope and sequence | Preferred
1.2.7 | Provides a method for the state to identify a curriculum map as an exemplar and then lock editing capabilities | Preferred
1.2.8 | Provides a method for users to be able to copy and then edit Model Curriculum Units and/or an exemplar curriculum map to use as their own | Preferred
1.2.9 | Provides a method for users to link units of instruction to a curriculum map (from the map or from the unit) | Preferred
1.2.10 | Provides a method for users to create subjects, courses, and units that can be linked as appropriate | Preferred
1.2.11 | Provides a method for users to create a unit that includes links to instructional materials, activities and resources aligned to the standards to be addressed by the unit. | Mandatory
1.2.12 | Provides a method for users to link course content to courses, sections, and sessions (lab, lecture) as applicable | Mandatory
1.2.13 | Provides a method for users to link curriculum items such as lesson plans, courses, units, objectives, activities, or resources to one or more standards | Mandatory
1.2.14 | Provides ability to create a lesson plan based on an existing unit. | Mandatory
1.2.15 | Provides ability to assign a lesson plan and/or activity to an individual student, a group of students, or entire class and/or all classes in an entire grade for a particular timeframe | Mandatory
1.2.16 | Supports team teaching by allowing more than one educator to access, manage, and edit student information and lesson plans based on class assignment | Mandatory
1.2.17 | Permits creation of lesson plan, curriculum map, and curriculum unit templates at school ,district, and/or state level  (containing common required fields) | Preferred
1.2.18 | Permits teachers to create lesson plans, curriculum maps, and curriculum units with a common template or multiple templates that contain most or all of the following fields: | Mandatory
 | a. with lesson aligned to multiple standards and multiple subjects at various levels (i.e. content area, level, strand, topic, benchmark, objective, etc.)
 | b. with time required to complete the lesson
 | c. with differing procedures for various student groups (i.e. ELL, Gifted)
 | d. with objectives to be covered in the lesson identified
 | e. with free format teacher comments about the lesson
 | f. with the ability to attach supplemental files (e.g., hand‑outs, assignment, assessments, supplemental information)
 | g. with a list any assignments that are for the lesson
1.2.19 | Provides user(s) with appropriate permissions to view the lesson plans of those teachers in their building | Preferred
1.2.20 | Provides for a formal review process of teacher-designed lesson plans using workflow for submission, review, comment, and/or approval by user(s) with appropriate permissions | Preferred
1.2.21 | Maintains lesson plans over a user-defined period of time. | Preferred
1.3  Educational Resources
Thinkgate Narrative: | Resources are managed within the Elements Platform in several formats: internal template based documents, uploaded documents (pdf, excel, word, etc.), external documents with a URL link, external web sites with a URL link.  All of these resources can be bulk loaded into the Elements digital content library, or can be individually loaded/created by users with appropriate permissions.  There are upgrades scheduled for the Elements Platform which will add more advanced review/approval workflows, as well as comments and ranking.
1.3.1 | Provides a method for users to load and/or link to standards-aligned instructional materials from multiple content providers. Instructional materials will consist of educational resources targeted for classroom and student as well as professional development resources targeted at teachers. | Preferred
1.3.2 | Allows for resources to be stored in the system as well as simple reference (URL) to resources stored outside of the system. | Mandatory
1.3.3 | Provides a method for users to associate meta-data describing educational materials using most or all of the following: | Mandatory
 | a. activity type (LRMI interactivityType)
 | b. age appropriate criteria (LRMI - typicalAgeRange)
 | c. asset URL (for pointer assets only)  (LRMI - Competencies-URL)
 | d. author
 | e. copyright (Y/N)
 | f. copyright date
 | g. cost for resource (Y/N)
 | h. cost
 | i. state course number
 | j. target audience  (LRMI - intendedEndUseRole)
 | k. creation date   (LRMI - created)
 | l. creator (person who found and tagged the resource)  (LRMI - creator)
 | m. description
 | n. duration  (LRMI - timeRequired)
 | o. grade level
 | p. instruction type  (LRMI - educationalUse)
 | q. keywords
 | r. language
 | s. learning style
 | t. license
 | u. media type  (LRMI - mediaType)
 | v. modification date
 | w. organizational level (school, district, state)
 | x. publisher/host  (LRMI - publisher)
 | y. peer rating
 | z. resource classification (assessment, instruction, PD, etc.)  (LRMI - educationalUse)
 | aa. [NAME]
 | bb. standard(s) addressed  (LRMI - Competencies)
 | 1. using CCSSO identifiers
 | 2. using industry-recognized curricular standard URLs, such as those provided by Achievement Standards Network or [NAME]
 | cc. subject
 | dd. taxonomy (Bloom's, [NAME], etc.)
 | ee. title
 | ff. original third party URL (when appropriate)
1.3.4 | Provides a method to align resources and their permanent URLs to industry recognized curricular standard URLs, such as those provided by Achievement Standards Network or [NAME] | Preferred
1.3.5 | Provides a method to maintain license information for instructional materials by publisher and authorized users (schools, districts, state, etc.) and restrict access to published materials that require a specific license/right to use based on the license information. | Mandatory
1.3.6 | Provides ability for teachers to create new instructional materials for their own use | Mandatory
 | a. with a description of the material
 | b. with ability to attach a web address to the material
 | c. with ability to attach a file (graphic, chart, spreadsheet, map) to the resource
 | d. which allow for streaming video for instructional delivery
1.3.7 | Allows for mathematical equations, graphics editors, and other equation editing capabilities | Mandatory
1.3.8 | Provides a method for teachers to copy school, district, or state approved instructional materials and make their own modifications. | Preferred
1.3.9 | Provides an approval workflow for instructional materials prior to being incorporated into a shared bank (school, district, and state) to incorporate multiple reviews, dates, item ratings, comments, authorship and source. | Preferred
1.3.10 | For items moved to the shared bank, transmits internal metadata such as that expressed by LRMI to a Learning Registry server in its public network, using an industry standard format approved by the States such as LRMI encapsulated format (not finalized at the time of this writing), [NAME] or Learning Registry paradata format. | Preferred
1.3.11 | Provides a single federated search tool to access a variety of content providers, including a state or district-owned learning object repository and the LRMI/Learning Registry as opposed to the user going to each provider separately. | Preferred
1.3.12 | Provides a method for users to configure the search to include only defined sources. | Preferred
1.3.13 | Provides a method for users to search and/or filter instructional materials, including [NAME], curriculum maps, units, ,activities, and resources directily and from planning screen at a minimum by standard, grade level, subject area, item type, and author as well as one or more of the tagging items found in requirement 1.4.2 above | Mandatory
1.3.14 | Provides a method for users to search and/or filter instructional materials, including professional development resources at a minimum by topic, keyword, standard, grade level, subject area, and author as well as one or more of the tagging items found in requirement 1.4.2 | Mandatory
1.3.15 | Provides a method for users to print all instructional materials | Preferred
1.3.16 | Provides a method for teachers to rate and comment on curriculum resources as they use them. | Preferred
1.3.17 | Provides a method for teachers to indicate a resource as effective for special populations (rating) | Preferred
1.3.18 | Provides a method for users with appropriate privileges to remove or mark inactive instructional materials that are no longer used or approved by district or school along with ability to archive removed materials | Mandatory
1.3.19 | Provides a method for users to select one or more content items or groups of content items for deletion (e.g. all content for a particular publisher or author) | Preferred
1.3.20 | Provides the ability to update any part of the content area/ level/ strand/ standard/ topic/ benchmark hierarchy without breaking existing links to instructional resources | Preferred
1.4  Career/Vocational Technical Education
Thinkgate Narrative: | The Elements Platform supports career clusters/pathways and standards with its standards facility, plus the configurable course tracking component.  Student credentials are supported with two different mechanisms.  For general tracking of student credentials, multiple credentials can be selected on the student records using the user defined field facility.  For credentials that are earned based on successful completion of course exams, a credential assessment category feature allows for tracking the exam attempts, the scores, and the successfully earned credentials.
1.4.1 | Provides a method for users to store a heirarchical database of career clusters/pathways and vocational/career technical education programs of concentration with appropriate state code. | Preferred
1.4.2 | Provides a method for users to record student credentials (certificates/licenses) by career cluster/pathway and vocational/career technical education program of concentration. | Preferred