DEVELOPING MODEL TEACHER AND PRINCIPAL

EVALUATIONS: ORIENTATION TO THE

PROJECT

DESIGN/PILOT COMMITTEE

OCTOBER 24, 2012

WELCOME: DESIGN/PILOT COMMITTEE

Special Guests:

Dr. Laura Goe, Center for Great Teachers and Leaders

Kim Malenoski, North Central Comprehensive Center

Pamela Coleman, Educational Testing Service

Tasks for TodayConsider Educator Effectiveness trends.

Review development of the Nebraska Teacher and Principal Performance Framework.

Orientation to the Nebraska Teacher and Principal Model Evaluation Project and your role in it.

Workshop with Dr. Laura Goe on best practices in teacher and principal evaluation.

Review proposed components of teacher and principal evaluation models.

Consider the Leadership Committee Recommendations.

Review Design/Pilot Schools Memorandum of Understanding.

Today’s Agenda9:00—Welcome and introductions; overview.

9:15—Orientation to the Design/Pilot Committee’s work.

10:00—Dr. Laura Goe workshop.

12:00—Working lunch.

1:00—Continue Dr. Laura Goe workshop.

2:30—Break.

2:45—Continue orientation to Design/Pilot Phase.

**Proposed components of the models.**Discuss Leadership Recommendations**Review of Memorandum of

Understanding4:00—Closing activities.

Educator Effectiveness Trends

In recent years, national, state, and local educational leaders have come to realize that improving teacher and principal effectiveness is the key to increasing student achievement and developing better school systems.

“The quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers.”

--Michael Barber and Mona Mourshed, How the World’s Best Performing School Systems Come Out on Top (2007)

Put another way--

How important are effective teachers and principals to student

achievement?

Eric Hanushek (2010): “The magnitude of the differences is truly large, with some teachers producing 1½ years of gain in achievement in an academic year while others with equivalent students produce only ½ year of gain.”

Robert Marzano (2005): Nearly 60 percent of a school’s impact on achievement is attributable to principal and teacher effectiveness. About 35 percent can be credited to teacher effectiveness alone.

Meanwhile, effective principals…

•Shape a vision of academic success...

•Create a learning climate...

•Cultivate leadership...

•Focus on instruction...

•Manage people, data, and processes...

“Education research shows that most school variables, considered separately, have at most small effects on learning. The real payoff comes when individual variables combine to reach critical mass. Creating the conditions under which that can occur is the job of the Principal.” --Wallace Foundation (2012) .

State policies to enhance educator effectiveness

Statewide performance standards for educators – beginning with teachers and principals.

Standards-based accountability for educator preparation programs and initial certification.

Statewide induction and mentoring programs. Targeted professional development policies. Standards-based evaluation systems for teachers

and principals. Compensation and incentives policies. Working conditions for teachers and principals

that impact recruitment and retention.

Nebraska’s Performance Framework

State Board of Education authorized the drafting of teacher and principal performance standards in January, 2011.

Stakeholder drafting and editing committees developed drafts of effective practices which were refined by the Board’s Accountability Subcommittee.

Board adopted in November, 2011, as the Nebraska Teacher and Principal Performance Framework and defined it as a voluntary guide for local districts.

Teacher Effective Practice Topics

• Foundational Knowledge

• Planning and Preparation

• The Learning Environment

• Instructional Strategies

• Assessment

• Professionalism

• Vision and Collaboration

Principal Effective Practice Topics

• Vision for Learning

• Continuous School Improvement

• Instructional Leadership

• Culture for Learning

• Systems Management

• Staff Leadership

• Developing Relationships

• Professional Ethics and Advocacy

Integrated themes in the Framework

High expectations for student learning.

A commitment to teacher and principal accountability for results.

Awareness of the individual circumstances of each student in light of the increasing diversity of our state’s population.

The integration of technology.

The next step for Nebraska

In February, 2012, NDE staff presented options to the State Board for developing

model teacher and principal evaluation systems for Nebraska districts to adopt or

adapt.

Problems with current evaluation practices

Problems with current evaluation practicesFollow-up report, “Teacher Evaluation 2.0” (2010) noted:

• Infrequent—Annual evaluations often not required.

• Unfocused—Student achievement often not included.

• Undifferentiated—Evaluations don’t distinguish great teachers and principals from mediocre ones.

• Unhelpful—Useful feedback is not provided.

• Inconsequential—Not used for important decisions.

Improving evaluation: the federal view

Administration’s NCLB waiver requirements:

• Teacher and principal evaluations designed for improvement of instruction.

• Meaningful differentiation of performance, not just “Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory”.

• Multiple measures of performance including significant use of data on student growth.

• Evaluation of teachers and principals on a regular basis.

• Clear, timely and useful feedback.

• Use of evaluation to inform personnel decisions.

(Proposed House ESEA requirements very similar.)

Gates Foundation MET StudyGates Foundation’s Measures of Teacher

Effectiveness Study (MET) found a combination of three evaluation components that are key to predicting teacher effectiveness:

Multiple observations by trained observers based on an instructional framework with clear expectations.

Student perceptions of teacher effectiveness (surveys).

Multiple measures of student achievement.

State evaluation trends

Thirty-two states have significantly changed teacher evaluation policies in last three years.

Twenty-four states now require annual evaluation of all teachers.

Twenty-three states require teacher evaluations to include objective measures of student learning in the form of growth or value-added data.

Seventeen states require student achievement or growth data to be a significant factor or the preponderant factor in teacher evaluation.

Nebraska’s current evaluation requirementsSec. 79-828 requires probationary certificated

employees to be evaluated each semester based on a full period observation. No requirement for tenured employees.

NDE’s Rule 10 requires school districts to develop a Board policy for evaluating certificated staff on instructional performance, classroom organization and management, and personal and professional conduct. Rule also includes some procedural requirements.

Nebraska Teacher and Principal Performance Framework provides effective practices as voluntary guidelines for districts.

What Nebraska doesn’t require

•Frequent evaluations of tenured staff.

•Clear, rigorous expectations for teachers and principals.

•Multiple measures of teacher and principal performance.

•Differentiation in performance ratings.

•Regular feedback other than to probationary staff.

•Use of evaluation data in employment decisions other than dismissal.

State Board February charge to NDE

Develop teacher and principal evaluation models based on the Nebraska Teacher and Principal Performance Framework for voluntary use by local districts.

February State Board guidance

• Stressed key purpose of evaluation is instructional improvement.

• Include student learning component, multiple measures of student growth, multiple observations, student/staff/parent perceptions.

• Build on what schools already have in place.

• Bring in local and outside expertise (vendors)

Phases of the ProjectLeadership Committee (April to October)—Build

consensus on best practices for evaluation models; make recommendations to State Board.

Design/Pilot Committee (October-August)—Develop evaluation models, conduct training, prepare for piloting.

Pilot Phase (2013-14 school year)—Implement models in pilot districts and make necessary adjustments.

Implementation Phase (2014-15 school year and beyond)—Make models available for voluntary adoption by districts and assist with implementation.

Leadership Committee Representation• ESU Coordinating Council• ESU Staff Developers• Design/Pilot Schools • Greater Nebraska Superintendents• Omaha and Lincoln Public Schools• Nebraska Association of Personnel Administrators• Nebraska Association of School Boards• Nebraska Council of School Administrators• Nebraska Council on Teacher Education/Nebraska

Association of Colleges of Teacher Education. • Nebraska Department of Education• Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association • Nebraska State Board of Education• Nebraska State Education Association• Federal regional laboratory (REL Central)• University of Nebraska (Lincoln)

Leadership Committee purpose statement

The purpose of the Nebraska Teacher and Principal Evaluation Models is to foster improved student learning by providing multiple measures of professional practice designed to assess and develop instruction and leadership as defined in the Nebraska Teacher and Principal Performance Framework.

Leadership Committee Tasks

Outline the “design principles” for the evaluation models.

Create recommendations that encapsulate what we’ve learned about “best practices” for teacher and principal evaluation.

Focus on multiple measures of teacher and principal effectiveness.

Develop recommendations that are reasonable for Nebraska schools to implement.

Leadership Committee Recommendations

General recommendations: Overall design principles for both models.

Teacher model recommendations: Proposed components and procedures for teacher evaluation.

Principal model recommendations: Proposed components and procedures for principal evaluation.

Procedural recommendations: Cover training, technology, and piloting issues.

Design/Pilot Districts

**Ashland-Greenwood **Ainsworth**Bellevue **Central City**Centura **Dorchester**Dundy County/Stratton**Falls City**Fort Calhoun **Fremont**Hitchcock County **Lakeview**Leyton **McCool Junction**Paxton **Perkins County**Scottsbluff **South Sioux City**Valentine **Wisner-Pilger**West Point

Design/Pilot Committee Tasks

•Design it

•Build it

•Pilot it

•Fix it

•Share it

Design/Pilot Phase activitiesKnowledge-building activities:

• Orientation to best practices (Dr. Laura Goe)

• Evaluation webinars (Lincoln, Wahoo, Millard)

• Danielson and Marzano frameworks

• Observation technology

• Assessing student learning/student perception

• Principal evaluation

Design/Pilot Phase activities

Developing model components: guidelines, forms, procedures.

Planning training for evaluators and staff development for teachers.

Implementing fully or partially in pilot districts in 2013-14.

Design/Pilot District Commitments

•Participate on the Design/Pilot Committee

•Develop a local district evaluation committee to help with implementation

•Attend meetings and trainings

•Engage in full or partial pilot implementation during 2013-14

•Implement all required components of the teacher and principal evaluation models.

•Adhere to Memorandum of Understanding

To discuss this afternoon

•Structure of the teacher and principal models

•Leadership Committee recommendations

•Memorandum of Understanding

•Tentative schedule of activities

Lunch Discussion Questions

What are the most important ideas you heard Laura Goe address this morning?

How has this morning’s presentation affected your thinking about the Nebraska teacher and principal evaluation models?

Components of the evaluation models

Measures of instructional/leadership quality.--Observation based on instructional/leadership frameworks.-- Gathering artifacts such as lesson plans, student work.--Perception surveys such as Tripod, Gallup.

Measures of growth in student learning and school performance. --Student learning objectives; multiple assessments --Schoolwide performance measuresMeasures of professional responsibility. --Self-assessment (reflection) procedures. --Annual goal-setting. --Individual professional development plans.

Teacher Model ComponentsGuiding Principles: The assessment of multiple measures of

teacher performance based on data gathered through a variety of means. The primary purpose of the model should be improvement of instruction.

Components: • Evaluation of teacher practice based on Nebraska Framework• Classroom observation based on Danielson or Marzano models• Impact on student learning assessed through learning objectives• A measure of student perception• Professional goals/individual professional development plan• Summative evaluation with ratings at four levels of performance:

**Seven Effective Practices in Nebraska Framework**Effectiveness in achieving learning objectives**Effectiveness in achieving professional goals**Performance of job description duties**Holistic overall performance rating (not numerical calculation)

Principal Model ComponentsGuiding Principles: The assessment of multiple measures of

principal performance based on data gathered through a variety of means. The primary purpose of the model should be improvement of school leadership.

Components: • Evaluation of principal practice based on Nebraska Framework• Observation of leadership based on national framework• Impact on student learning and school performance based on

multiple measures, including stakeholder perception• Professional goals/individual professional development plan• Summative evaluation with ratings at four levels of performance:

**Eight Effective Practices in Nebraska Framework.**Effectiveness in impacting learning and school performance**Effectiveness in achieving professional goals**Performance of job description duties**Holistic overall performance rating (not numerical calculation)

Reviewing the Recommendations

Discuss in your small group:

• Identify one or more recommendations your group strongly agrees with.

• Identify one or more recommendations your group has concerns about.

• Identify one or more recommendations you think is unclear or confusing.

Memorandum of Understanding

•Agree to participate in Design and Pilot Phases of the Model Evaluation Project.

•Attend meetings and trainings.•Participate in the development of model

components.•Agree to implement models fully or with

an approved partial pilot plan.•Use required components of the model. •Provide feedback during the pilot year. •Final MOU due back to NDE by Dec. 15.

Design/Pilot Tentative Schedule• Thursday, Nov. 29, 1:30 p.m.—Teacher Model Webinar

• Tuesday, Dec. 4, 1:30 p.m.—Nebraska Principal Model Webinar

• Tuesday, Dec. 11, 9:00-4:00—Rubric-Writing Committee

• Thursday, Jan. 10, 9:00-4:00—Marzano Orientation/Alignment

• Friday, Jan. 11, 9:00-4:00—Danielson Orientation/Alignment

• Tuesday, Jan. 29, 1:00-4:00—Teachscape Technology

• Wednesday, Jan. 30—9:00-1:00—Learning Sciences Tech

• Wednesday, Feb. 20-Thursday, Feb. 21—Student achievement/perception measures. Time TBA

• Tuesday, Mar. 12-Wednesday, Mar. 13—Principal evaluation subcommittee. Time TBA

• Wednesday, April 3-Thursday, April 4—Committee Design Work. Time TBA

THANKS for joining us today.

Please offer your comments to us at:

Donlynn Rice: donlynn.rice@nebraska.govJim Havelka: jhavelka@gpcom.net

And have a safe trip home.