TO: LAP Members and Concerned Educators
FROM: Debra Schum (Louisiana Association of Principals Executive Director)
RE: BESE Meeting March 5th and 6th
I have listed the 6 original recommendations below from the ACT 240 Committee Final Report which was sent out to committee members on Feb.12th 2015. by LDOE staff. While they are not perfect they go a long way to improving the current system and were vetted by a panel of teachers, administrators, legislators, business and other community members.
However, last week, the LDOE (Louisiana Department of Education) made additional recommendations (listed below) that were never even discussed in the meeting and will cause more confusion and less collaboration than ever before. Over the last 3 days I have attempted to discuss with Superintendent John White and his staff the negative effects of this newly created language to see if they would remove it or at least refer it back to the ACT 240 Committee-- with little success in getting this to change. Therefore, we are asking that you call your BESE member (click here for list) and ask them to remove the LDOE newly added recommendations and to approve the ACT 240 committee recommendations. The LDOE’s new recommendations are particularly negative towards principals and superintendents.
We appreciate all that you do and any assistance you can provide in this effort will be greatly appreciated!
LDOE Recommendations
Observations
Observation/Data Collection Process. To ensure educators are supported and developed through regular, individualized feedback, T the evaluator or evaluators of each teacher and administrator shall conduct as many observations of teacher and administrator practice as is sufficient to gain a complete and accurate picture of performance, including strengths and weaknesses, and to impart individualized feedback throughout and at the conclusion of each year. This shall include a minimum of two observations per academic year and may include more observations, particularly for teachers or administrators that are not meeting expectations
• At least one observation shall be announced and shall include a pre- and post-observation conference. One of the observations may be waived for teachers who have earned a rating of highly effective according to the value-added model in the previous year. Following all observations, evaluators shall provide evaluatees with feedback, including areas for commendation as well as areas for improvement.
• Additional evidence, collected throughout the year that provides feedback for improvement, such as data from periodic visits to the school and/or classroom as well as written materials or artifacts, may be used to inform evaluation.
• The LDE shall issue guidance to support district and principal implementation of observation protocols
• To receive a final professional practice score of Ineffective, teachers must receive a minimum of two observations per academic year.
Goal setting
• If the school performance score declines for two consecutive years for any principal, the local superintendent shall report, to the LDE, the basis for any such principal setting learning targets lower than the LDE recommended targets beginning in the third year.
• If (a) the school performance score declines for three or more consecutive years for any principal and (b) if there exists a statewide trend of principals with declining school performance scores who set annual targets below the state recommended targets, then any such principal’s learning targets shall be set at or above the LDE recommended targets beginning in the fourth year.
ACT 240 Subcommittee Recommendations
Recommendation 1
Expand the use of TAP:
• The TAP initiative, which establishes collaboration and feedback routines that support educator reflection and improvement, is expanded to support school leaders.
• The Department and TAP leadership districts support interested districts as they incorporate TAP Best Practices (in part or whole) throughout their district or in targeted schools.
Develop a Statewide Principal Fellowship Program:
• The Department will initiate a fellowship for school leaders beginning in the 2015-16 school year.
• The fellowship will help school leaders use the Compass tool to improve instruction by supporting teacher improvement through collaboration, observation, and feedback. Leader Goal Setting
Recommendation 2
Goal Setting for School Leaders: School leaders set ambitious goals, grounded in school performance (student performance), to guide the school team.
School Leader Goals Overview: Student learning targets based on the performance of students at the school.
• One learning target based on overall school performance improvement in the current school year, as measured by SPS.
• One learning target based on a component of school performance improvement (e.g., ACT improvement for a high school, math achievement for an elementary school).
• To support and guide school leaders, recommended targets based on historical performance of similar schools will be provided by the Department.
• School leaders at alternative, juvenile, K-2, and special schools will have alternate frameworks and recommended goals, with Department-provided supports.
• The Department, in the spring and summer of 2015, will work with school leaders from these schools to develop alternate frameworks for goal setting.
Recommendation 3
For all teachers, leaders consider multiple measures to determine teachers’ ratings, including value-added (where available) and student learning targets (goals) for the student growth score.
• For all teachers, an “ineffective” score on either half of the evaluation will no longer override other measures or the principal’s judgment.
• Value-added data continues to provide important information to school leaders and educators, but does not override school leaders’ decision-making.
• For teachers with value-added data, leaders may adjust the student outcomes score by +/ - 1 level from the VAM score received, based on the learning targets.
• For example, if a teacher earns a 1 on value-added, the principal may adjust the teacher’s student growth score to a 2 if the SLT data supports such a change. The student growth score is then combined with the professional practice score for a final rating.
Recommendation 4
The Department, in partnership with the Louisiana Association of Principals (LAP), will convene a workgroup of principals and teachers to consider best practices for making the observation process as efficient and effective as possible. The Department and LAP will release guidance and information on:
• The alternate rubric process and rubric tools, in consultation with principals and educators.
• Best practices and strategies for efficient, effective observations, as well as for setting SLTs.
Recommendation 5
Continue, for one year, the deferment of VAM within the LA teacher evaluation system.
The consideration of VAM will continue be to studied by the Act 240 subcommittee of the accountability commission.
To the degree that this recommendation conflicts with recommendations 1-4, this recommendation shall prevail.
Recommendation 6
The principal has the option, with the consent of the teacher, to only complete the formal observation, if the teacher scores “effective: proficient” or “highly effective” on the formal observation. This provision will not apply to teachers with less than three years of experience.
Recommendation #6: principal has the option, with the consent of the teacher, to only complete the formal observation, if t.