Tools for Building Strong
Vertical Teams
Kathi Cook
Charles A. Dana Center
at The University of Texas at Austin
www.utdanacenter.org/ap/math
Conference for the Advancement of Mathematics Teaching
July 2002
Five Benchmarks of Vertical
Team Success
Establishing a functioning team
Collaboration between vertical team members
Team awareness of vertical/horizontal
alignment
Team members’ confidence in leadership roles
Team members’ belief in equity and access
Sequence of Tasks
Year
Task(s)
1
Building the team
2
Curriculum alignment/content study
3
Content study/curriculum alignment/
dissemination
4
Content work/dissemination
Year 1 Tasks
Choose team facilitator
Train district leadership
Train team facilitator
Form team
Hold initial meeting/retreat to communicate
vision and set goals
Build functioning team
Assess district capacity
Assess team progress
Year 1 Tools
Advanced Placement Program®
Mathematics Vertical Teams Toolkit
Vertical Teams for Leaders: Support
and Facilitation institute
Advanced Placement Capacity
Assessment Tool (APCAT)
Vertical Teams Assessment Tool
Year 2 Tasks
Continue to build and support
functioning team
Begin vertical curriculum alignment
work
Begin vertical content study
Begin initial dissemination beyond team
Assess team’s progress
Year 2 Tools
Advanced Placement Program® Mathematics
Vertical Teams Toolkit
The K–12 Mathematics TEKS
Foundations of Functions institute
TEXTEAMS institutes
K–12 TEKS Success in Calculus materials
TEKS TRAILS®
Vertical Teams Assessment Tool
Year 3 Tasks
Continue to support functioning team
Continue vertical curriculum alignment
work
Begin horizontal curriculum alignment
work
Begin horizontal content study
Continue dissemination beyond team
Assess team’s progress
Year 3 Tools
Advanced Placement Program® Mathematics
Vertical Teams Toolkit
The K–12 Mathematics TEKS
Foundations of Functions institute
TEXTEAMS institutes
K–12 TEKS Success in Calculus materials
TEKS TRAILS®
Vertical Teams Assessment Tool
Year 4 Tasks
Continue to support functioning team
Continue vertical curriculum alignment work
Continue horizontal curriculum alignment
work
Continue horizontal content study
Begin work on assessment
Continue dissemination beyond team
Assess team’s progress
Year 4 Tools
Advanced Placement Program® Mathematics
Vertical Teams Toolkit
The K–12 Mathematics TEKS
TEXTEAMS institutes
K–12 TEKS Success in Calculus materials
Algebra I and Geometry Assessments
TEKS TRAILS®
Vertical Teams Assessment Tool
Visit the Dana Center booths
in the CAMT exhibit hall
behind NCTM booth and #1519