Increasing Educator Effectiveness Creating a System of Support Grounded in Meaningful Data

1. Increasing Educator Effectiveness Creating a System of Support Grounded in Meaningful Data Presentation to the Public Education and Business Coalition Presented through a partnership of the Colorado Department of Education, the Colorado Legacy Foundation, and The New Teacher Project Funded by Rose Community Foundation December 2010

2. National nonprofit, founded by teachers in 1997 Partners with school districts, state education agencies, and charter schools Targets acute human capital challenges Delivers a range of customized services and solutions on a fee-for-service basis Approx. 265 employees, most embedded in school district offices; the majority are former teachers Current clients include: Districts: Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Memphis, New Orleans, New York, Oakland, Philadelphia, Washington, DC States: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Rhode Island The New Teacher Project (TNTP) works to end the injustice of educational inequality by providing excellent teachers to the students who need them most and by advancing policies and practices that ensure effective teaching in every classroom.

3. Agenda Background Quick Review of the Growth Model Teacher Equity Gap Teacher Dashboard Learning from the Private Sector

4. The Goal: To ensure each child is postsecondary and workforce ready.The Challenge: To support educators in helping each child reach this goal.

5. Through a three-pronged approach, CDE examined how it can take a leadership role in advancing and increasing educator effectiveness. 1 Findings The needs and demographics of Colorado’s teachers and students have changed, amplifying the importance of a clear focus on educator effectiveness. Colorado must continue its bold education policy reform agenda and ensure successful implementation of new policies. Stakeholders agree on the key levers that the CDE should focus on to increase educator effectiveness, but they identify the lack of a clear vision and ownership as critical barriers to maximizing impact. Data Analysis Analysis of data on student performance, teacher workforce demographics, and teacher perceptions of working conditions Policy Inventory Comprehensive review of statutes and regulations related to educators to identify opportunities for better alignment Practice Scan Interviews and meetings with State Board of Education members, 98 CDE staff members, and more than 50 external stakeholders to discuss what is working and what can be improved 2 3

6. To increase educator effectiveness and student postsecondary and workforce readiness, CDE recognizes that it must establish a vision, create a clear structure, and focus on the levers with the greatest and most immediate impact in the field. Vision Structure Key Levers Vision Articulate a coherent vision for increasing educator effectiveness Definitions and Criteria Articulate and implement CDE-wide educator effectiveness definitions Goals & Metrics Identify goals and establish metrics to drive & inform the state’s educator effectiveness efforts Structural Clarity Clarify structural ownership of the state’s educator effectiveness work Cross-Unit Collaboration Build on, articulate and institutionalize cross-unit collaboration to achieve educator effectiveness goals Accountability Hold staff accountable for attaining educator effectiveness goals Performance Evaluation Ensure successful implementation of the state’s educator evaluation system Professional Development Align and coordinate professional development to maximize impact in the field Licensure, Educator Preparation, and Induction Revise to reflect current research, incorporate outcomes, and align with recent legislation Actions Impact Internal and external clarity of purpose and goals Accountability to ensure attainment of goals Focused attention on areas that impact educator effectiveness

7. CDE is focusing on successful implementation of the state’s new educator evaluation system as articulated in Senate Bill 10-191. • Update on SB 191 Implementation Efforts to Date • Key Components • State Council Work • Timeline • Staffing • Resources and Tools

8. Critical to this work is alignment to a shared vision and shared metrics. Strategic Partnerships/ Committees CDE’s Educator Effectiveness Work Strategic Partnerships/ Committees Equity Initiatives Recruitment Effectiveness Management Increase and support the effectiveness of all educators CORE METRICS Talent Pipeline Attract and develop the best educators CORE METRIC Number and percentage of new educators who demonstrate effectiveness above a target threshold Educator Effectiveness Leadership Team Retention Educator Preparation Vision: An effective teacher in every classroom and an effective leader in every school Licensure Evaluation And Support Induction Professional Dev. Data and Results Measures of educator effectiveness and student postsecondary and workforce readiness

9. Focus for Today’s Discussion • Providing Districts & Teachers with Meaningful Data in Two Key Areas: • Teacher equity gap • Data to inform the equitable distribution of effective teachers in high needs schools • Teacher dashboard • Data to improve instruction and guide professional development

10. Agenda Background Quick Review of the Growth Model Teacher Equity Gap Teacher Dashboard Learning from the Private Sector

11. Colorado Growth Model is a statistical model that measures students’ progress on the state assessment. It is also a data visualization tool for displaying student, school, and district results. Components of Colorado Growth Model • Student Growth Percentile • Student Adequate Growth Percentile

12. Student growth percentile and student adequate growth percentile are core components of the Colorado Growth Model. What is Student Growth Percentile (SGP)? Academic Peers = + + Low High Student Growth Percentile Typical My Current CSAP Achievement My Growth Compared to My Academic Peers Previous Year CSAP Achievement What is Student Adequate Growth Percentile (AGP)? + + = Adequate Growth Percentile 3 Years OR By Grade 10 Distance to Proficiency OR Distance from Proficiency My Current CSAP Achievement

13. Agenda Background Quick Review of the Growth Model Teacher Equity Gap Educator Impact Metrics Learning from the Private Sector

14. Goal: Help districts rethink equity – from providing all students the same inputs to providing all students with the right learning opportunities based on their individual needs. NCLB defines the teacher equity gap as the greater tendency of poor and minority students to have less qualified and less experienced teachers than their more affluent or white counterparts. What We Know • There is no correlation between percent of novice teachers and academic growth. • There is no correlation between percent of highly qualified teachers and academic growth. • The focus on experience and qualifications limits deeper analysis and thinking regarding teacher equity gaps. How do we comply with federal requirements and give districts meaningful data?

15. Recommended Approach Add a performance lens to current metrics. Focus first on performance: Are my schools meeting growth expectations? Then examine gaps between schools and possible impact of experience on performance Provide guidance to help districts understand the metrics. Provide guiding questions that help districts “unpack” the data and develop meaningful plans to address equity gaps Develop teacher equity gap metrics based on educator effectiveness and student growth Redefine teacher equity gap: Are students who are not meeting growth expectations more likely to be taught by ineffective teachers than their peers who are meeting or exceeding growth expectations? Are poor and minority students more likely to be taught by ineffective teachers than their more affluent or white counterparts?

16. Agenda Background Quick Review of the Growth Model Teacher Equity Gap Teacher Dashboard Learning from the Private Sector

17. Goal: Provide teachers with meaningful and timely data that they can use to improve instruction and guide professional development. • Examples of Possible Teacher Dashboard Metrics • (for use at the teacher level) • Student performance and growth data • Student growth percentiles • Adequate student growth percentiles • Student attendance, truancy, and discipline data • Achievement gap for students • Current and prior performance with students (disaggregated by student subgroups, examined over multiple years) • Student and parent survey results (3 years) • Evaluation data • Professional development plan

18. Agenda Background Quick Review of the Growth Model Teacher Equity Gap Teacher Dashboard Learning from the Private Sector

19. CDE needs your feedback. Discussion Questions What comments do you have regarding the information shared? What tips do you have regarding establishing effective metrics to inform performance improvement? What tips do you have regarding effective implementation of new employee evaluation systems? What are key elements of employee performance dashboards? What needs to be considered for successful implementation?

20. CDE welcomes and values your involvement. • How can I stay updated and provide input into this work? • Request to be on the State Council’s e-mail distribution list (e-mail Vanessa Roman at roman_v@cde.state.co.us) • Send e-mails, suggestions, or comments directly to the State Council at SCEE@cde.state.co.us • Provide public comment during council meetings • Provide feedback during the comment period on the council’s draft recommendations – February-March 2011 • Serve as a thought-partner to the Educator Effectiveness Work Group (e-mail Jill Hawley at jhawley@tntp.org)