Introduction to Student Learning Objectives

1. Introduction to Student Learning Objectives Spring 2014

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3. Agenda Nebraska Pilot Overview SLO Introduction SLO Review Activity SLO Writing Activity Looking Forward: Next Steps Resources

4. What is an SLO/SPO? A Student Learning Objective (SLO) can be defined as a rigorous, measurable, long-term academic goal for a group of students that teachers use to guide their instructional efforts over a given interval of time. A Specialist Program Objective (SPO) is similar in that it is a measurable program improvement goal for a specific interval.

5. Training Materials • We will use this resource to review example SLOs. • A Laptop computer is also recommended. • Navigate to: esupdonline.wikispaces.com>Student Learning Objectives

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7. Timeline for Pilot Schools 2013-2014 School Year • 1st Semester – SLO Training • 2nd Semester – SLO Implementation • Beginning of semester • Participating teachers/specialists create SLO/SPO • SLO/SPO is approved by administrator • Mid semester • Teacher and administrator review progress of SLO • Adjust if necessary • End of semester • Review and rate SLO

8. Timeline for Pilot Schools 2014-2015 School Year • Fall – • Teachers/specialists develop and submit SLO • SLO is approved by administrator • Mid year – • Teacher and administrator review progress of SLO • End of year – • Teacher and administrator review and rate SLO

9. Connecting Activity Nada.Ta-da! Fist to Five: • Indicate your familiarity with Student Learning Objectives.

10. SLO Background

11. SLOs as a Measure of Student Growth An SLO is a • measurable, long-term academic goal informed by • available data that a • teacheror • teacher team sets at the beginning of the year for • all students or for • subgroups of students

12. SLOs and State Standards:What’s the Connection? • SLOs help teachers consider: • What are the most important skills and content my students must learn? • How will I determine if students have learned them? • What is a rigorous and attainable target for how much my students should learn? • SLOs help teachers realize: • The value of pre-assessment. • The connection between data and instruction. • All students, regardless of their performance level, are capable of demonstrating improvement.

13. When and Why Did We Start Thinking About SLOs as Measures of Student Growth?

14. Where Are SLOs Being Used? • Many Race to the Top states require or recommend SLOs for at least some teachers. • On the basis of Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) waivers, additional states are considering the use of SLOs. • Teacher Incentive Fund grantees were the early adopters and continue to be trailblazers in the use of SLOs.

15. Use in Districts and States Source: Lachlan-Haché, L., Matlach, L., Cushing, E., Mean, M., & Reese, K. (2013). Student learning objectives: Early lessons from the Teacher Incentive Fund. Washington, DC: Teacher Incentive Fund Technical Assistance Network.

16. What does earlyresearch indicate?

17. What Does Early Research Indicate? • Teachers reported increased focus on student achievement and data use and increased use of evidence-based practices as a result of the SLO goal-setting process.- Community Training and Assistance Center, 2013; What Works Clearinghouse, 2009 • Teachers using SLOs valued the opportunity to analyze data and plan instruction as part of the SLO process and reported feeling “empowered” and taking a more active role in their evaluation after SLOs were implemented. - Donaldson, 2012; TNTP, 2012

18. What Does Early Research Indicate? • Some positive correlations have been found between the quality of SLOs and student achievement and between the number of objectives met by teachers and student achievement, but mixed results point to a need for more research.- Austin Independent School District, 2010; Community Training and Assistance Center, 2013 • SLO approaches vary significantly in terms of teacher agency and SLO comparability. - Lachlan-Haché et al., 2013

19. Why Use SLOs? SLOs • reinforce evidence-based teaching practices. • can be used with all teachers. • are adaptable. • encourage collaboration. • acknowledge the value of educator knowledge and skill. • connect teacher practice to student learning.

20. SLO Evaluation Cycle

21. The SLO Evaluation Cycle Source: Lachlan-Haché, L., Cushing, E., & Bivona, L. (2012). Student learning objectives as measures of educator effectiveness: The basics. Washington, DC: American Institutes for Research. Retrieved from http://educatortalent.org/inc/docs/SLOs_Measures_of_Educator_Effectiveness.pdf

22. I. SLO Development • Identify core content and standards • Gather and analyze student data • Determine the focus of the SLO • Select or develop an assessment • Develop a growth target and rationale

23. Nebraska SLO Checklist • Why have you chosen this objective? • What studentswill this objective address? • What is the contentthat will be addressed? • What is current levelof studentperformance? • What do you want students to achieveby the end of the learning interval? • How much are your students going to grow? • How long is the intervalof instruction? • What will you do to meet your objective? • How are you going to measurestudent growth?

24. Nebraska SPO Checklist Specialist Performance Objective Steps • Analyze the student/school population served by the program. • Determine priority content. • Derive baseline data. • Describe the Specialist Program Objective. • Set growth/improvement targets. • Determine the performance interval. • Describe the program improvement strategies. • Develop an assessment plan.

25. 3-2-1 Activity Find a partner and identify 3 1 Actionsyou need to take 2 Benefits of Student Learning Objectives Question that youhave at this point

26. Student Learning Objective – Teacher Samples

27. Specialist Program Objectives Media School Social Worker Counselor Instructional Coach Literacy Coach Physical Therapist Exemplars Student Achievement Goal Setting, pp 87-119 Student Learning Objectives • Kindergarten • Grade 3 Art • Grade 4 Reading • Grade 6 P.E. • Grade 8 Math • Grade 6 Chorus • Grade 12 Government

28. SLOs – Setting Student Growth Targets

29. SLO Growth Targets Overview The type of Growth Target you select should be based on what is most appropriate for students in your setting: • Basic Growth Target:all student will improve by the same number of points. • Simple Average Growth Target:all students will improve to the halfway point between their pre-assessment score and 100. • Tiered Growth Target:all students within a specific performance band (high-middle-low) will improve to a pre-determined score. • Advanced Tiered Growth Target:all students within a specific performance band (high-middle-low) will improve to a pre-determined score or by a certain amount of points, whichever is higher.

30. Examples of SLO Growth Targets 1. Basic Growth Target • All students have the same growth target. • Example: All of my students will grow by 20 points by the end of the semester.

31. Examples of SLO Growth Targets 2. Simple Average Growth Calculation • Growth targets are determined by a common formula, but each student has a different growth target based on his or her pre-assessment score. • Example: Based on the pre-assessment score, students will score halfway between their baseline score and 100. • If a student scored 50 on the pre-assessment, the growth target is 75. • If a student score 40 on the pre-assessment, the growth target is 70.

32. Examples of SLO Growth Targets 3. Tiered Growth Target • Group students together based on their pre-assessment scores. • Divide students into three or more categories (low, mid, advanced). • Example:

33. Examples of SLO Growth Targets 4. Advanced Tiered Growth Target • Students have a tiered target based on their pre-assessment score. • Divide students into three or more categories (low, mid, advanced). • Students have to reach the greater of the two targets. • Example:

34. Student Data Snapshot

35. Table Talk • What do you need to know in order to set Growth Rates? • Explain why Growth Rates are important to the SLO process.

36. II. SLO ApprovalNDE APPROVED RUBRIC Quality and Rigor of the Objective and Targets

37. II. SLO ApprovalNDE APPROVED RUBRIC Quality and Rigor of the Objective and Targets

38. III. Midcourse Check-In

39. Midcourse Check-InNDE APPROVED RUBRIC Effectiveness in Implementing the Planned Strategies

40. Administer the final assessment(s) to students. • Collect all relevant information and compile it in a useful way for the evaluator. Teacher IV. Final Review of SLO Scoring and Attainment • Ask teachers to reflect on SLO results. • Score SLOs, and set up a final meeting with the educator. • Prepare to give feedback and plan next steps. Evaluator

41. Final ReviewNDE APPROVED RUBRIC Accomplishment of the SLO/SPO Goals

42. Seek opportunities to practice providing critical feedback in a safe and supportive environment. V. Discussion of Summative Rating and Impact on Performance Focus on the summative rating and lessons learned from the process. Address aspects of the educator’s performance that were valuable for improving student learning as well as those aspects that could be improved. Prepare to offer resources to struggling teachers while providing reinforcement and opportunity for effective teachers.

43. Teacher Evaluation NDE APPROVED RUBRIC Formative/Summative Evaluation

44. Nebraska SLO Template

46. 1. Rationale Why have you chosen this objective? • Identifies one or more district/school goals. • Aligns with district goals, teaching strategies, and learning content. • Consistent area of concern.

47. 2. Student Population What students will this objective address? • Includes teacher’s total student population, unless teacher and principal agree otherwise. • Identifies total number of students enrolled in class(es). • States the percentage of students represented in this objective. • Addresses excluded students in a small group objective or clearly links them to another teacher’s class

48. 3. Subject/Content What is the content that will be addressed? • Identifies the essential learning and/or specific content to be addressed. • Focuses on learning needs and skill level of the identified population. • Aligns with the district curriculum and one or more content standard benchmarks when available. • Demonstrates expectations that meet or exceed content area standards.

49. 4. Baseline Data What is the current level of student performance? • States current knowledge in relation to overall grade level or course objectives for the selected student population.