Educator Effectiveness: Instruction and Assessment Linda Barker, Director of Teaching and Learning

1. Educator Effectiveness: Instruction and AssessmentLinda Barker,Director of Teaching and Learning

2. Goal for today….. Provide an overview ofhow quality standards, instruction, assessment fit into a system for improving practices of educators and student learning results for students.

3. An invitation…

5. Requirements: SB 191 State law requirements: • Conduct performance evaluations for all teachers and principals at least once each school year. • Base at least half of each teacher’s and principal’s evaluation on multiple measures of students’ academic growth (CSAP, as appropriate, plusother growth data). • Requires all teachers and principals in one of the performance standards, “highly effective”, “effective”, “partially effective”, or “ineffective”.

6. Requirements cont… State law requirements: • Award non-probationary status to teachers with three consecutive years of “effective” performance and remove it for those who are not “effective” for two consecutive years. • Consider factors such as student mobility and the numbers of students with disabilities or at risk of failing school. • Require mutual consent of teachers and principals to teacher assignments. • Factor in teacher effectiveness before seniority when considering district-level layoffs.

7. The WHY….Purpose of Evaluation According to the rules for administration of a state system to evaluate the effectiveness of licensed personnel, the basic purposes of this system are: • To ensure that all licensed personnel are evaluated using multiple, fair, transparent, timely, rigorous and valid methods, 50 percent of which is determined by the academic growth of their students and 50% on practice • To ensure that all licensed personnel receive adequate feedback and professional development support to provide them a meaningful opportunity to improve their effectiveness • To ensure that all licensed personnel are provided the means to share effective practices with other educators throughout the state

8. Key Priorities of the System: • Data should inform decisions, but human judgmentwill always be an essential component. • The implementation and assessment of the evaluation system must embody continuous improvement. • The purpose of the system is to provide meaningful and credible feedbackthat improves performance. • The development and implementation of educator evaluation systems must continue toinvolve all stakeholders in a collaborative process. • Educator evaluations must take place within a larger system that is aligned and supportive.

9. Components of an Effective Evaluation System 1. Evaluation System Goals 2. Stakeholder Investment and Communication Plan 3. Selecting Measures 4. System Structure 5. Evaluators 6. Data Integrity 7. Using Results & Professional Development 8. System Evaluation

10. Include any new district or school decisions for measuring Student Learning 2. Annual Orientation 1. Training 9. Goal-Setting and Performance Planning 3. Self-Assessment Confirm measures used to determine Student Learning – Finalize baseline information A Process, not an Event! Evaluation Cycle Principal/Assistant Principals and Teachers May 15 End of September. Train: Prior to the beginning of School. Orient: Within the first week of School. End of September. May 15 End of June Prior to the beginning of Spring Semester End of May Mid-June 8. Final Ratings 4. Review of Annual Goals and Performance Plan 7. End-of-Year Review 5. Mid-Year Review Review available information from measures to determine if students are on track Review and finalize compiled results of measures of student learning 6. Evaluator Assessment

11. Teacher Evaluation Framework

12. Definition of Teacher Effectiveness Effective Teachers in the state of Colorado have the knowledge, skills, and commitments needed to provide excellent and equitable learning opportunities and growth for all students. They strive to support growth and development, close achievement gaps and to prepare diverse student populations for postsecondary and workforce success. Effective Teachers facilitate mastery of content and skill development, and employ and adjust evidence-based strategies and approaches for students who are not achieving mastery and students who need acceleration. They also develop in students the skills, interests and abilities necessary to be lifelong learners, as well as for democratic and civic participation. Effective Teachers communicate high expectations to students and their families and utilize diverse strategies to engage them in a mutually supportive teaching and learning environment. Because effective Teachers understand that the work of ensuring meaningful learning opportunities for all students cannot happen in isolation, they engage in collaboration, continuous reflection, on-going learning and leadership within the profession.

13. STATE COUNCIL FOR EDUCATOR EFFECTIVENESS Framework for System to Evaluate Teachers Definition of Teacher Effectiveness Quality Standards I. Know Content II. Establish Environment V. Demonstrate Leadership III. Facilitate Learning IV. Reflect on Practice VI. Student Growth 50% Professional Practice Standards50% Student Growth Measures Observations of Other Measures Teaching Aligned with CDE Guidelines Weighting: How Much Does Each Standard Count Towards Overall Performance? State Other Assessments Other Measures Summative for Non-tested Aligned Assessments Areas CDE Guidelines Match of test to teaching assignments Weighting: Scoring Framework: How Do Measures of Quality Standards Result in a Determination of Individual Performance? Performance Standards IneffectivePartially EffectiveEffectiveHighly Effective Appeals Process

14. Understanding the Scoring “Business” Rule Look for the first unchecked professional practice. Move one column back to identify the rating for the element.

15. BEFORE AFTER

16. Revised Teacher Rubric Redundancies have been eliminated. • Example: Data is now represented in Std. IV, Element a. 16

17. Rubric Structure and Rating Level Focus NOW The focus of Accomplished and Exemplary ratings shifts to the outcomes of the educator’s practices, including expectations for staff, students, parents and community members, as a result of practices exhibited under rating levels 2 and 3. The focus of the Basic rating level is the educator whose performance does not meet state performance standards and who is not achieving at expected levels. The focus of Partially Proficient and Proficient levels is what educators do on a day-to-day basis to achieve state performance standards and assure that students are achieving at expected levels.

18. Teacher Evaluations I. Mastery of content II. Establish learning environment III. Facilitate learning IV. Reflect on practice V. Demonstrate leadership • Measured using multiple measures on multiple occasions, including: (1) observations; and (2) at least one of the following: student perception measures, where appropriate and feasible, peer feedback, feedback from parents or guardians, or review of teacher lesson plans or student work samples. May include additional measures.

19. It’s All About the Practice

20. CDE tool for Observable Practices… The Teacher Students: Element a: Uses lesson plans that reflect: Daily review and revision. Instructional objectives appropriate for students. Explicit connections to specific learning objectives and approved curriculum Implementslesson plans based on Student needs Colorado Academic Standards. District’s plan of instruction. Stated learning objectives. Collaborates with other school staff to vertically and horizontally align, articulate, and deliver the approved curriculum. Interact with the rigorous and challenging content. Perform at a level consistent with or above expectations. Discuss strengths and next steps regarding their learning with their teachers.

21. Teacher Self-Assessment Ratings Distribution

22. Teacher Self-Assessment Ratings-Standard 3-plan and deliver effective instruction.

23. Theory into Practice…are rubrics real? Power of Non-Fiction Writing Portscheller, Schechty, Marzano

24. Student Learning Outcomes Here’s a simple truth that is easy to forget. School is not about grading. School is about… Learning

25. STATE COUNCIL FOR EDUCATOR EFFECTIVENESS Framework for System to Evaluate Teachers Definition of Teacher Effectiveness Quality Standards I. Know Content II. Establish Environment V. Demonstrate Leadership III. Facilitate Learning IV. Reflect on Practice VI. Student Growth 50% Professional Practice Standards50% Student Growth Measures Observations of Other Measures Teaching Aligned with CDE Guidelines Weighting: How Much Does Each Standard Count Towards Overall Performance? State Other Assessments Other Measures Summative for Non-tested Aligned Assessments Areas CDE Guidelines Match of test to teaching assignments Weighting: Scoring Framework: How Do Measures of Quality Standards Result in a Determination of Individual Performance? Performance Standards IneffectivePartially EffectiveEffectiveHighly Effective Appeals Process

26. Teacher Evaluations VI. Responsibility for student academic growth Refers to outcomes on a measure that are attributed to an individual licensed person, e.g. DRA2 growth measures for a 1st Grade Teacher’s students Evaluated using the following: (1) a measure of individually-attributed growth, (2) a measure of collectively-attributed growth; (3) when available, statewide summative assessment results; and (4) for subjects with statewide summative assessment results available in two consecutive grades, results from the Colorado Growth Model. Refers to outcomes on a measure are attributed to two or more licensed personnel, e.g. 10th gr. Math TCAP – All Secondary math teachers in school

27. It’s All About the Questions?

28. Student Learning Outcomes How do measure student learning outcomes in your district/school?

29. Collective vs. Individual Attribution Do you understand what % your district (1338) has assigned for collective or individual attribution in your evaluation system.

30. Categorizing Teachers Example: No Summative/CGM All Other Teachers 70% 2. State Summative Reading, Writing, Math(Gr. 3 & 1st Yr. Gr. 4-10) Science (Gr. 5, 8, 10) Social Studies (Gr. 4, 7, HS) ACT (HS) WIDA ACCESS (ELL) Colorado Growth Model (CGM) Reading, Writing, Math (Gr. 4-10) What are the pros and cons of creating groups of like teachers based on the types of measures that must be included in their body of evidence? Based on what is expected in law, what categories of teachers are possible?

31. Student Learning Outcomes Select and weight multiple measures of student learning to be included in educator evaluations. What can we do as a district to build comparable bodies of evidence in like groups of teachers? Questions to consider : • What assessments must we include? • How much influence will they have on the evaluation? • Student Learning Outcomes Tool(SLOT)

32. Using Local Assessments in Evaluation • Districts, BOCES and schools may decide after completing the Assessment Inventory that a locally created assessment would likely be included as a measure in evaluation. Which ones? • Districts and BOCES can use the Assessment Review Tool to show they are taking steps to ensure that the locally created measurements they select are fair, valid, and reliable.

33. Categorizing, Weighting, and Selecting Measures Reflection Decision Points • How will our district identify teacher roles and the types of assessments that exist? • Who will participate in the process? • What do we need to know in order to make good decisions? • What resources (internal and external) do we have/need? • How will we know if we have made good decisions?

34. Setting Student Learning Targets What are Student Learning Targets? • Method of measuring student growth, progress or mastery of the standards • Long-term academic goal set by educators for students • Based on available prior student learning data and information • Set at the beginning of the year/course by teachers in collaboration with their supervisor or evaluator • Can be shared by teachers of the same course/grade level or individually

35. Student Learning Target Infrastructure

37. NWEA, targets, %, grades, SLOs,

38. District & School Performance Frameworks Through the Colorado Educational Accountability Act of 2009 (SB09-163)… • CDE annually evaluates districts and schools based on student performance outcomes. • All districts receive a District Performance Framework (DPF). This determines their accreditation rating. • All schools receive a School Performance Framework (SPF). This determines their school plan types. • Provide a common framework through which to understand performance and focus improvement efforts.

39. Accreditation & Plan Types • Accreditation designations: • Accredited with Distinction (10%) • Accredited (50%) • Accredited with Improvement Plan (25%) • Accredited with Priority Improvement Plan (10%) • Accredited with Turnaround Plan (5%) • School plan types: • Performance Plan (60%) • Improvement Plan (25%) • Priority Improvement Plan (10%) • Turnaround Plan (5%) What’s my school rating?

43. Unified Improvement Planning • Through the Colorado Educational Accountability Act of 2009 (SB09-163)… • All schools and districts must annually develop and submit an improvement plan. The plan streamlines federal and state accountability systems and reporting requirements. • Plans must include: • Data Analysis: trends, performance challenges, root causes • Action Planning: targets, interim measures, major improvement strategies, action steps, implementation benchmarks • Aligned with ESEA (Titles I, IIA, III), State Graduation Completion Plans and various grant requirements.

44. Improvement Planning Process Gather and Organize Data Preparing to Plan Section IV: Target Setting Section IV: Action Planning Section III:Data Analysis and Data Narrative Review Current Performance Describe Significant Trends Prioritize Performance Challenges Identify Root Causes SetPerformanceTargets Identify Major Improvement Strategies Ongoing: Progress Monitoring Identify Interim Measures Identify Implementation Benchmarks

45. Assessment and Instruction/Practice Dr. Harvey Silver’s work on connections…9 years—”formative assessment leads to dramatic gains in achievement, one of the most powerful tools a teacher can use”.

46. Assessment Inventory • Use of assessment • diagnostic • interim/benchmark • summative • Non-cognitive • Value Judgment • Do we value the assessment(s)? Why? What assessmentsof student learning do you currently use in your classroom, caseload practice or school? • Standardized Tests • Textbook-based Tests • Teacher-developed Unit Tests: e.g. quadratic equations, Catcher in the Rye, photosynthesis. • Mid-Year & Finals • Common across subject (all students in the grade/subject take the same test) • Common across schools (all students in the grade/subject across all schools take the same test) • Performance Assessment: lab experiment, speaking a second language, research project, serving a volleyball, solving a math problem with written explanation. • Writing Tasks: compositions, essays, reports • Portfolios: collection of student work over time • Exhibitions: oral report, art show, musical performance, DECA competition, science fair, capstone projects.

47. Think about your assessments/purpose/audience: Feedback/Instruction … FOR learning Data/Trends (after T and L) ….OF learning Exit tickets Sponge pads Work folders Writing logs Discussion records Journals Writing samples TCAP SAT ACT Previous year’s grades District tests Final exams Chapter quizzes and tests

48. All grades, all levels….. Your job is to uncover understanding, not cover content.

49. Assessments

50. Science and Social StudiesSummative Assessments Colorado is piloting new science and social studies assessments.  These assessments will be computer-based and will be designed to measure the CAS. These assessments will be administered in 2014. The science assessments will be administered in grades 5, 8, and 12 and …… social studies assessments will be administered in grades 4, 7, and 12th grade. Practice testing environments, also referred to as ePATs (electronic Practice Assessment Tools), that help to familiarize students with the testing environment can be accessed at: http://www.pearsonaccess.com.