1. Stronge Teacher Effectiveness Performance Evaluation System
Student Learning Objectives
The Stronge Evaluation System is based on the extant research related to the qualities of effective teachers. Notice that the word, “effectiveness” is right in the name of the system. We chose the graphic to illustrate that teacher effectiveness is reflected in their students’ achievement.

2. Before We Begin… Who uses Student Learning Objectives (SLOs)?
How are they used?
You will probably have already discussed these questions during the overview of the 7 Standards. Explain that everyone uses SLOs as ONE PIECE of evaluating Standard 7. But emphasize that Standard 7 should be based on MULTIPLE MEASURES, of which this is only one. Other measures might include standardized state tests, AP tests, or other district-wide assessments.

3. Why Student Learning Objectives?
Focus on STUDENT RESULTS
STUDENT RESULTS
TEACHING PROCESSES
Open by asking the question: Why should we use student learning objectives? Ask participants to think about a time they have set objectives in their personal or lives. Why did they do it? How did it help? If possible, relate an anecdote about a time that you set a objective, what the objective was, and how/if you achieved it.
Now have participants think about a time that they set objectives in their professional lives, specifically in terms of students and learning. How does it help?
Click to reveal the Focus on Student Results. Click to reveal the arrow and the star. Explain that in education, we have been very good at looking at the Teaching Processes (blue arrow), such as our instructional delivery and strategies…what we haven’t done often in the past is look specifically at how those teaching processes affect student results.

4. Why Student Learning Objectives?
Explicitly connect teaching and learning
TEACHING
LEARNING
Another benefit of Student learning objectives is that it provides an explicit link between the teaching that goes on, and the learning that happens because of it. The process of learning objectives causes teachers to reflect on their teaching based upon the learning that occurs; this can prompt them to improve their teaching practices, which therefore improves the learning. The arrows point to one another because it is a continual process in which each influences the other.

5. Why Student Learning Objectives?
Improve instructional practices
Instruction
Instructional practices are improved because student learning objectives prompt teachers to explicitly connect their instruction, curriculum, and assessment.
Curriculum
Assessment

6. Why Student Learning Objectives?
Framework for Coherence
Looking at student data
Differentiation
Formative assessment
Best practices
Lesson plans
One of the comments administrators might hear from teachers is that setting SLOs is “one more thing” the teachers are expected to do. When presented and implemented correctly, SLOs are not one more thing; they actually provides a framework for coherence for all the good things that are already happening in schools.
Click to reveal the various colored boxes. Ask participants if these seem like things that happen in their schools. Sometimes it can seem to teachers like there are so many things going on, it’s hard to remember or concentrate on them all.
Now click to the next slide.
Professional Development
Common planning

7. Framework for Coherence
Formative assessment
Looking at student data
Differentiation
Student Learning Objectives
Lesson plans
Best practices
The benefit of Student Learning Objectives is that it gives a framework to everything that is already going on in schools. It can help to ensure that various initiatives are aligned.
Professional Development
Common planning

8. Why Student Learning Objectives?
Focus on student results
Explicit teaching and learning connection
Improved instructional practices
+ Framework for coherence
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
& STUDENT SUCCESS
So, what do we expect overall from student learning objectives?
Click to reveal 1-4, and then explain that the sum of all these pieces together equals (click to reveal) overall school improvement and student success, which is of course the point of education.

9. Student Learning Objective Process
What does research say about student
learning objectives for student achievement?
Have participants read the handout and underline or circle the research about student learning objectives that makes the most profound impact on them. Share with their table (approximately 3 minutes).
Research indicates that academic student learning objectives is a useful tool for learner and program progress. Academic student learning objectives is linked to:
Mastery learning
Enhancing pre-requisite skills
Assessment for learning
Standards-based performance assessment
Standards-based instruction
Data-based decision-making

10. Student Learning Objective Process
Step 4: Monitor student progress through on-going formative assessment
Step 3: Create and implement teaching and learning strategies
Step 5:
Determine whether the students achieved the objective
Step 2:
Create specific learning objectives based on pre- assessment
Step 1:
Determine needs
Review the steps. Ask participants how this is similar to what teachers in their schools already do.
Student learning objectives for learner/program progress involves a multi-step process. Baseline performance is established by reviewing and analyzing data. Baseline data can be reviewed individually, or in a collaborative manner with other teachers. For example, a grade level may review the data.
Then, based on baseline data, the instructional professional decides to focus attention on learner or program improvement. For example, a fourth grade team determines that their students performed well in mathematics last year, but not in reading. Therefore, they decide to focus the objective on reading. Each teacher creates their own objectives based on the performance of the students in their classroom, but the objective area is decided as a grade level. A student services professional may decide to focus on placement of students for gifted services and decreasing the amount of time it takes to move through the process.
Then, the professional sets an attainable objective, meaning that the objective is within reach and yet is not too easy. For example, increasing a percentile ranking on a norm-referenced assessment from 50th percentile to 80th percentile would be quite difficult.
The professional then develops strategies that would support objective attainment. Strategies are critical to the student learning objectives process as they provide the means to the end, which is increased student achievement or program progress. Strategies will vary from class to class due to differences in age levels, subject areas, etc. Team planning will make strategies similar, but student are not at the same level across classrooms. So, the teacher must customize the objective to fit the needs of his/her students.
The strategies are then implemented and learner/program progress is monitored. At the end of the year, data is analyzed to determine whether the objective was attained.

11. Step 1: Determining Needs
Step 4: Monitor student progress through on-going formative assessment
Step 3: Create and implement teaching and learning strategies
Step 5:
Determine whether the students achieved the objective
Step 2:
Create specific learning objectives based on pre- assessment
Step 1:
Determine needs
Explain that first we will look at Step 1: Determining Needs.

12. Who Determines Areas of Focus?
District?
Principals?
Teacher groups?
Individual teachers?
Areas of focus might mean: will a teacher focus on the area of mathematics? Will all teachers on a grade level focus on reading? Will all fourth grade teachers in the district focus on science?
This depends on the district’s preference. This is a decision that all districts will have to make; can be a combination as well.
Discuss with the group the benefits of each group determining the needs. For instance, the bigger the group, the easier it is to compare scores across a wide variety of students. The smaller the group, however, the easier it is to focus on individual groups of students/class needs.

13. How Do We Determine Areas of Focus?
What sources of data are available?
How broad/narrow will our focus be?
Example: Grade 4 math OR
Grade 4 math in the areas of number sense and computation & estimation
Example: SOLs, AP tests, skills checklists, SATs.
These should be sources that are already available.

14. Sunshine Elementary Grade 5
Percent of Students Passing
End-of-Year Assessments
Reading
92%
95%
91%
Writing
87%
89%
Math
72%
83%
75%
Introduce Sunshine Elementary’s 5th grade. Explain that we will be following Sunshine Elementary, and one teacher in particular, throughout the entire process.
Have participants look at the data. In small groups or pairs, they should analyze the data as if they were an administrator of that school. What patterns do they notice? What should they celebrate? Where should they consider making some instructional changes?
Have participants debrief some of their findings. Then ask them to again turn and talk and make a determination about where they would focus the Grade 5 student learning objectives.

15. The Pre-Assessment: A Necessity
You might know where you’re going…but if you don’t know where you’re starting, how can you make a plan to get there?
Emphasize the importance of a pre-assessment. Without a pre-assessment, there can be no final determination as to the effectiveness of the objective or the instructional strategies.

16. How Do We Determine What Pre-Assessments to Use?
Emphasis on tests with higher validity and reliability
Must be able to show progress in skills or content
What is already in place?
Have participants think about what pre-assessments they might already have. Direct them to PAGE 16 of the Teacher Evaluation handbook which lists possible common pre-assessments. Then have them complete the Possible Assessment Measures worksheets in small groups.

17. Sunshine Elementary Grade 5 Teacher
Maria Sanchez
Sunshine Elementary Grade 5 Teacher
Meet Maria Sanchez, a 5th Grade teacher

18. Looking at her baseline data, what challenges will Maria have this year in teaching math?
Based on STAR Assessment data for Math, Maria sees that a clear majority of her students are below grade level in math.
She will focus her objective on improving math skills and getting the students on grade level for math.
58% below grade level
42% at or above grade level

19. Step 2: Creating SMART Objectives
Step 4: Monitor student progress through on-going formative assessment
Step 3: Create and implement teaching and learning strategies
Step 5:
Determine whether the students achieved the objective
Step 2:
Create specific learning objectives based on pre- assessment
Step 1:
Determine needs
Now let’s look at how we use our baseline data to form learning objectives.

20. What is a Student Learning Objective?
Objective … a statement of an intended outcome of your work: Student Learning
Distinct from Strategies
Strategies = Means
Objective = End
“Are you going to New York or by train?
An academic objective is a statement of an intended outcome of your work: student or program progress.
Academic objectives are different from strategies. Strategies are the means and objectives are the ends. Consider the following question: Are you going to New York or by train? This question is confusing. New York is the end, the train is the means.

21. What Makes Objectives SMART?
Specific
Measureable
Appropriate
Realistic
Time-bound
An academic objective is SMART.
Specific - The objective is focused such as by content area and by learners’ needs
Measurable - An appropriate instrument/measure is selected to assess the objective
Appropriate - The objective is clearly related to the role and responsibilities of the instructional professional
Realistic - The objective is attainable by the instructional professional
Time-bound - The objective is contained to a single school year

22. Does the objective focus on the needs of ALL groups of learners?
SPECIFIC: Focus
Does the objective focus on one content area or specific skills in that content area?
Does the objective focus on the needs of ALL groups of learners?
Ask participants: What’s wrong with this goal?
75% of my students read a level 28 or higher on the Diagnostic Reading Assessment? (answer: what about the other 25%? And what about those students who came in already reading at or above a level 28?)

23. Has an appropriate instrument been chosen to measure the objective?
MEASURABLE
Has an appropriate instrument been chosen to measure the objective?
NOTE: must match the pre- assessment measurement
Ask participants why a learning objective must match the pre-assessment.
Answer: because if the objective measures something other than what was measured on the pre-assessment, there’s no way to measure student growth. It’s the same as doing a pre-assessment for push-ups, but a post-assessment on sit-ups. While both might measure your physical fitness, they are two very separate tests using different muscles.

24. Is it within the teacher’s control to affect change?
APPROPRIATE
Is it within the teacher’s control to affect change?
For instance, should a science teacher’s evaluation be judged solely on math progress scores? No, because while that science teacher might use math to support science instruction, she does not teach math full-time, and therefore has a limited ability to affect change in student mathematical progress.
Another example: an objective for an AP Government teacher cannot be that “95% of my students will graduate,” because there are so many other factors that go into that. Likewise, the Government teacher also cannot have a goal that “80% of my students will register to vote;” because that is not about academics and there’s no good pre-test for that (and the teacher cannot affect certain things such as student age). That doesn’t mean that these pieces of data cannot be included as other measurements in Standard 7; it just means that they are not appropriate for the SLO piece.

25. Is the objective feasible?
REALISTIC
Is the objective feasible?
Ask participants to consider: why do we not do objectives that are too far out of reach? For instance, Weight Watchers recommends not aiming to lose more than 2 pounds per week. Why not? Because setting realistic goals is important to keep people from becoming frustrated. In another example, if you’ve been a couch potato most of your life, you don’t jump out of bed and decide to run a 5K that day. You have to set realistic goals so that you don’t become discouraged…but they also have to be rigorous that you actually make a difference. For instance, deciding that I only want to lose 0.3 pounds a week probably won’t get me to my goal; likewise, deciding to start running by walking across the room to my fridge probably won’t get me where I need to be, either.
It is the same in the classroom. If students are starting very far behind, we cannot set unrealistic objectives otherwise everyone will become discouraged. The objectives need to be rigorous enough with causing frustration. It’s a fine line and may take some tweaking throughout the year, especially for students with special learning challenges.

26. Is the objective contained to a single school year or course?
TIME-BOUND
Is the objective contained to a single school year or course?
A mission statement is a perfectly fine place to put an emphasis on life-long learning; an SLO is not. SLO’s are meant to be evaluated, and most school districts do not have the money to do the longitudinal assessment required to determine if students are actually life-long learners (and how would you measure that anyway)?
Similarly, a middle school teacher cannot say that her students graduating high school is her goal, either.

27. Progress vs. Achievement
Students will score X% greater on the post-test than on the pre- test.
ACHIEVEMENT
X% of students will achieve a score of X or higher.
Before clicking, have participants turn and talk and discuss what they see as the differences between progress versus achievement.
Examples might include: achievement is more about mastery; progress is more about the journey there
Progress necessitates knowing where someone started; achievement does not necessitate this
Progress often takes into account challenges along the way; achievement is more cut and dry
Ask participants: what are the benefits to measures of progress? (take into account challenges, show growth even when students haven’t made a particular cut score)
What are the benefits to achievement? (ensures that all students are receiving a high level of education; what students need to know in order to move to the next level)
What are the challenges to measuring achievement? (Not all students start in the same place; not all students learn at the same rates)
What are the challenges to measuring progress? (They often take a long time to document; if enough progress is made, students will never achieve at high levels)
Explain that there can be both progress and achievement objectives; in many cases, objectives will be a hybrid of the two. They will focus on the progress piece (show example), but also on the achievement piece (show example)

28. Maria’s Objective Objective Statement:
In the current school year, each student will achieve an average of 1 year’s gain using the STAR Math assessment for students below, on, and above grade level as tested in August.
A good objective statement is one that is…
Specific
Measurable
Appropriate
Realistic
Time-bound
Based on Maria’s data and the objective statement, how SMART is Maria’s objective?
Does it focus on progress, achievement, or both?

29. Aspect of Objective Statement
Be the Evaluator:
Assess Maria’s Objective Using the SMART criteria
Aspect of Objective Statement
Evidence
Specific
Measurable
Appropriate
Realistic
Time-Bound
Have participants assume the role of an administrator who is reviewing Maria’s objective. They should work together with a partner or small group to go through and note the strengths and weaknesses of each. How would they structure the conversation with Maria?

30. How Rigorous is the Objective?
After determining how SMART the objective is, participants then need to decide how rigorous the objective is, using the above chart. Have participants practice using the chart with their partners or small groups on Maria’s objective.
Originally developed by Keith Everson, Gwinnett County Schools, Georgia, 2011

31. Objectives in other areas…
Explain that many teachers who use student learning objectives will be those who teach in non-core areas. Therefore, we are going to look at objectives for a variety of subject areas.

32. Anna Tate
8th Grade Language Arts Teacher Pre-Assessment of Student Ability in Expository Writing
First, participants will practice combining steps 1 and 2. They will use “Anna Tate” and some of her pre-assessment data.

33. Rubric used for Assessing Students1 2 3 4
Composing
The writer demonstrates little or no control of most of the composing domain’s features.
The writer demonstrates inconsistent control of several features, indicating significant weakness in the composing domain.
The writer demonstrates reasonable, but not consistent, control of the composing domain’s features; the writer may control some features more than others.
The writer demonstrates consistent, though not necessarily perfect, control of the composing domain’s features.
Written Expression
The writer demonstrates little or no control of most of the written expression domain’s features.
The writer demonstrates inconsistent control of several features, indicating significant weakness in the written expression domain.
The writer demonstrates reasonable, but not consistent, control of the written expression domain’s features; the writer may control some features more than others.
The writer demonstrates consistent, though not necessarily perfect, control of the written expression domain’s features.
Usage and Mechanics
The writer demonstrates little or no control of most of the domain’s features of usage and mechanics.
The writer demonstrates inconsistent control of several features, indicating significant weakness in the domain of usage and mechanics.
The writer demonstrates reasonable, but not consistent, control of most of the domain’s features of usage and mechanics.
The writer demonstrates consistent, though not necessarily perfect, control of the domain’s features of usage and mechanics.
This is the rubric that Anna Tate uses. Have participants work together to determine how the rubric is similar to rubrics they have seen in their schools. What are the advantages to using a rubric over a multiple choice test? What are the disadvantages? 33

34. Student Composing Written Expression Usage and Mechanics Average2 1
1.67
Student 2 3 4
3.33
Student 3
Student 4
Student 5
2.33
Student 6
Student 7
1.33
Student 8
Student 9
Student 10
Student 11
Student 12
Student 13
Student 14
Student 15
Student 16
Student 17
(no response)
Student 18
2.67
Student 19
Student 20
2.25
1.95
1.9
Have participants look at the data and note what they notice. What students cause concern? Which might have special learning challenges, whether they be in terms of needing remediation or needing extra challenges? 34

35. Student Composing Written Expression Usage and Mechanics Average2 1
1.67
Student 2 3 4
3.33
Student 3
Student 4
Student 5
2.33
Student 6
Student 7
1.33
Student 8
Student 9
Student 10
Student 11
Student 12
Student 13
Student 14
Student 15
Student 16
Student 17
(no response)
Student 18
2.67
Student 19
Student 20
2.25
1.95
1.9
Point out that these might be the students that might need special interventions in order to succeed. Remind them that though we are looking towards goals that show the progress of all students, we also want to consider how much progress these kids with lower scores will need to make to eventually catch up with their peers and be successful. 35

36. Student Composing Written Expression Usage and Mechanics Average2 1
1.67
Student 2 3 4
3.33
Student 3
Student 4
Student 5
2.33
Student 6
Student 7
1.33
Student 8
Student 9
Student 10
Student 11
Student 12
Student 13
Student 14
Student 15
Student 16
Student 17
(no response)
Student 18
2.67
Student 19
Student 20
2.25
1.95
1.9
We also have to consider the students with the higher scores and how the teacher will continue to challenge them throughout the year. Ask participants to come up with some ways they might do this (using a more difficult rubric, using a different type of writing, etc.) 36

37. Student Performance by Groups
Low Performing
Students
Mid-performing
High Performing
Composing
.75
2.54
3.0
Written Expression
2.08
Usage and Mechanics
1.62
4.0
Lastly, we can break the students into groups to see how they are doing as overall groups. This will help us see how much progress they need to make throughout the year, as well as how to remediate later on.

38. Anna’s Goal Goal Statement:
For the 2011 – 12 school year, 100% of my students will make measurable progress in writing. Each student will improve by one performance level in composition, written expression, and mechanics/usage. Furthermore, 80% of the students will score a “3” or better overall.
A good goal statement is one that is…
Specific
Measurable
Appropriate
Realistic
Time-bound
Look at Anna’s goal. Does it meet the needs of all students? Is it based on progress? Is it rigorous? If the participants were administrators, what would they say in the conversation with Anna about her goal?

39. Sample SMART SLO
During the school year, my sixth grade physical education students will improve performance by 20% on each of the Presidential Fitness Test sub areas.
Specific: Focused on physical education, specifically the Presidential Fitness sub areas
Measurable: Identified Presidential Fitness Test to be used to assess objective
Appropriate: The teacher teaches the content and skills contained in the Presidential Fitness Tests.
Realistic: The objective of increasing student performance by 20% is realistic. It is not out of reach and yet not too easy.
Time-bound: Goal attainment can be addressed by the end of the year with the final Presidential Fitness Test.
The sample SMART objective is from a middle school physical education teacher. Each year students across the district participate in the Presidential Fitness Tests. The teacher determines that he will administer a pre-assessment to see how the students perform on each of the subtests. Then, the teacher writes the objective.
Specific – The objective is specific as it focuses only on the Presidential Fitness Test sub areas and not any other area in physical education.
Measurable – The objective is measurable as the teacher can administer practice tests throughout the year and at the end of the year to determine objective attainment.
Appropriate – The objective is appropriate as it relates to the teachers job responsibilities.
Realistic – The objective is realistic as it is not too easy but not too hard. It is attainable. Students who earn the Presidential Fitness Award are in the 85th percentile nationally so it would not be appropriate to expect that the majority of students would earn the Presidential Fitness Award.
Time-bound - The objective is contained to a single school year,

40. Anita Knapp’s Baseline Data
Now let’s look at the baseline data a teacher used to determine her objective.
Baseline data from the Fall administration of PALS indicate that
14/18 students met the Fall benchmark for spelling
11/18 students met the Fall benchmark for First Grade Word Knowledge
13/18 students met the Fall summary benchmark

41. Anita Knapp’s Baseline Data9 9
Baseline data indicate that 7/18 students are below grade level as measured by the Instructional Reading Level.

42. How SMART is this objective?
Anita Knapp – Second Grade Teacher
During this school year, my students will improve on word knowledge and oral reading fluency.
Aspect of Objective Statement
Evidence
Specific
Measurable
Appropriate
Realistic
Time-Bound
Review Anita Knapp’s baseline data and her objective statement: How SMART is her objective?

43. How Rigorous is the Objective?
Review with participants the rigor in Anita’s objective. Can rigor be reviewed if the objective isn’t SMART?
Originally developed by Keith Everson, Gwinnett County Schools, Georgia, 2011

44. Better SLO for Anita Knapp?
Objective Statement:
During this school year, 100% of my students will improve in word knowledge and oral reading as measured by PALS. Each student will move up at least a grade level in instructional reading level from fall to spring. Furthermore, students who are below grade level in instructional reading level will increase their instructional reading level by 1.5 years.
The objective statement meets the SMART criteria. Why is it important for an objective to be SMART before it assesses rigor?

45. How SMART is this Objective?
Mason Dixon – Government Teacher
For the current school year, my students will have the knowledge and skills to be productive members of their society because they will be able to analyze primary and secondary source documents.
Aspect of Objective Statement
Evidence
Specific
Measurable
Appropriate
Realistic
Time-Bound
Review Mason Dixon’s baseline data and his objective statement: How SMART is his objective?

46. How Rigorous is the Objective?
Originally developed by Keith Everson, Gwinnett County Schools, Georgia, 2011

47. Better Objective for Mason Dixon?
Objective Statement:
During this school year, 100% of my students will improve in analyzing primary and secondary source documents. Each student will increase his/her ability to analyze documents by one level on the rating rubric. Furthermore, 75% of students will score at “proficient” or above.
The objective statement meets the SMART criteria

48. How Smart is this Objective?
Anne Droid – Basic Technical Drawing/Design/CAD (Teacher N)
During this school year, 100% of my students will demonstrate measurable progress in the basic technical drawing by improving at least one performance level on the rubric. At least 85% of my students will score proficient on the end of the year performance assessment according to line quality, neatness, accuracy, and title block.
Aspect of Objective Statement
Evidence
Specific
Measurable
Appropriate
Realistic
Time-Bound
Review Anne’s baseline data and his objective statement: How SMART is her objective?

49. Revise Maria’s SLO Original SLO Statement: Revised SLO Statement:
In the current school year, the students will achieve an average of 1 year’s gain using the STAR Math assessment for students below, on, and above grade level as tested in August.
Revised SLO Statement:
Now have participants go back and look at Maria’s objective again. How would they rewrite Maria’s objective to make sure that it is SMART and rigorous? Have them work together in pairs or small groups, then go back and debrief afterwards.

50. Revise Maria’s SLO Original SLO Statement: Revised SLO Statement:
In the current school year, the students will achieve an average of 1 year’s gain using the STAR Math assessment for students below, on, and above grade level as tested in August.
Revised SLO Statement:
In the current school year, all students will achieve at least 1 year’s gain using the STAR math assessment; students in the below grade level category will achieve at least 1.2 year’s gain.
Explain that while participants may have written their own objective statements for Maria, for consistency’s sake as we go through the rest of the training, we are all going to use the objective statement on this page.

51. How Rigorous is the Objective?
Remember to review where her students started; only 52% were at or above grade level. Therefore, even though 75% might not seem very high for an achievement objective, it is more than 20% higher than where she started (and emphasize that with STAR, the grade level equivalent moves up as the students do), so it is a rigorous objective.
Developed by Keith Everson, Gwinnett County Schools, Georgia, 2011

52. Step 3: Create and implement teaching and learning strategies
Step 4: Monitor student progress through on-going formative assessment
Step 3: Create and implement teaching and learning strategies
Step 5:
Determine whether the students achieved the objective
Step 2:
Create specific learning objectives based on pre- assessment
Step 1:
Determine needs
Now moving on to Step 3…

53. Linked specifically to the objective
Strategies should be:
Linked specifically to the objective
Specific to what the teacher will do
Measurable
As high-yield as possible
Linked specifically to objective: “planning cooperatively with grade level” is not very specific to the objective. How will that enhance math? It is also probably not outside what a teacher normally does to affect results.
Specific to what the teacher will do: Assigning students’ extra credit work to be completed outside of school hours may or may not be helpful; how are we to ensure that students do it or do it correctly? Also, having a student receive intervention or special education services is not something the general education teacher does and instructional strategies, as part of the individual teacher’s evaluation, should be set to what the individual teacher does
Measurable: How can whether this is happening be observed? How can we measure whether it’s working?
High-yield: Strategies that target only a few students may or may not be appropriate based on the objective. Obviously the teacher will do more than the 3-5 strategies chosen for the objective-setting; therefore, the ones that will have the greatest effects for the greatest number of teachers should be chosen.

54. Maria’s Strategies for Teaching and Learning
Strategy
Measurable By
Target Date
Institute “exit cards” in which students spend the last 5 minutes of every lesson answering 1-3 questions from the current material in order to determine where more emphasis is needed
Lesson plans, observations, examples of exit cards
September 15
Work with math coach to implement math groups (3x a week) that focus on using formative data to deliver relevant lessons to students.
Lesson plans, observations; student assessments
October 1
Start a “math club” for students needing more help on a voluntary basis during lunch
Observations
October 15
STOP TO LOOK AT PAGE IN TEACHER HANDBOOK.
Ask participants: do the strategies fit the criteria on the previous page?
Are they linked to the specific objective?
Are they specific to the teacher?
Are they measurable?
Are they high-yield?
Would the participants change any of these strategies?
What other strategies might these use?
What sort of outcomes do they think Maria might have from these strategies?

55. Writing Instructional Strategies
Who in the building or district can provide assistance for “developing” or “needs improvement” teachers?
Ask participants the question and have them discuss.
Answers might include: lead teachers, master teachers, assistant principals or principals, instructional coaches or specialists for either the building or district

56. Step 4: Monitor Student Progress
Step 3: Create and implement teaching and learning strategies
Step 4: Monitor student progress through on-going formative assessment
Step 5:
Determine whether the students achieved the objective
Step 2:
Create specific learning objectives based on pre- assessment
Step 1:
Determine needs
Now on to Step 4…

57. Steps in the Mid-Year Review Process
Collect and reflect on informal and formal mid-year data
Step 2
Reflect on progress toward objective
Step 3
Reflect on effectiveness of strategies
There are essentially four steps in the mid-year review process.
Step 1 – Collect and reflect on informal and formal mid-year data
This step involves examining data related to how well the learner/program is doing and whether strategies are working. The data can be formal or informal. We will discuss the types of data you could use in the mid-year review on our next slide.
Step 2 – Reflect on progress toward objective
This step involves reflecting on how the students are or the program is doing. This reflection may be based on either formal or informal data.
Step 3 – Reflect on effectiveness of strategies
This step involves reflecting on how well the strategies are working. This reflection may also be based on either formal or informal data.
Step 4 – Adjust strategies
This step involves adjustment of strategies, if needed. If strategies are working well then adjustments may not be necessary.
Step 4
Adjust strategies

58. Maria’s Mid-Year Data
Have participants look over the slide and determine whether they think that the instructional strategies are working. Is Maria on her way to her objective?

59. Maria’s Mid-Year Reflection
Strategy
Measurable By
Target Date
Outcome
Institute “exit cards” in which students spend the last 5 minutes of every lesson answering 1-3 questions from the current material in order to determine where more emphasis is needed
Lesson plans, observations, examples of exit cards
Sept. 15
At first used exit cards concentrating on computation; in November, added a problem-solving piece. Helpful in determining groups.
Work with math coach to implement math groups (3x a week) that focus on using formative data to deliver relevant lessons to students.
Lesson plans, observations; student assessments
Oct. 1
Took until October 15 to fully implement; meet with each group 3x a week for at least 15 minutes. Meet with lowest group for each skill for 20 min 4x a wk.
Start a “math club” for students needing more help on a voluntary basis during lunch
Observations
Oct. 15
Only a few students volunteered to come
Teach students how to write “math journals” as part of their independent work during group time, focusing on explaining their strategies in writing.
Journals
Jan. 30
Can further use to determine areas of students misconceptions
Give participants a few minutes to read over the outcomes of the strategies. What happened? Which strategies turned out to be “high-yield?” How does this fit with the participants’ original predictions? What about the last strategy that was added?
At this time, also ask participants how these strategies might fit to other subjects or content areas. Is there anything particularly generalizable?
How would participants, as evaluators, debrief with Maria at this time? Remember to use both her data and her strategies. Have participants work in small groups or pairs to discuss what they would say, then debrief with the whole group.

60. Step 5: Evaluate Results
Step 4: Monitor student progress through on-going formative assessment
Step 3: Create and implement teaching and learning strategies
Step 5:
Determine whether the students achieved the objective
Step 2:
Create specific learning objectives based on pre- assessment
Step 1:
Determine needs
On to Step 5…

61. Review the Objective
In the current school year, all students will achieve at least 1 year’s gain using the STAR math assessment; students in the below grade level category will achieve at least 1.2 year’s gain.
Remind participants of the objective; we cannot assess her effectiveness without knowing the objective.

62. Using this data, did Maria’s students make it?

63. STAR Math Grade: 5 Teacher: Maria Sanchez
Instructional Math Level Change 6 5
Above 42 51
On GE 9
Below GE
June
August
Grade Equivalent
1Within 2 months of 5.0 ( )
There are 10 students scoring on or above grade level = 52% (same as start); remember; grade level equivalency moves up as the students age during the year
2 Within 2 months of 5.9 ( )

64. STAR Math Grade: 5 Teacher: Maria Sanchez
Instructional Math Level Change
Loss <.6 = 5
= 6
> 1.0 = 8
This means that 5 students saw a loss of .6 or greater in their grade level over the year
6 students gained grade levels over the year
Eight students gained more than a year’s growth over the year
How does this fit with Maria’s objective?
What questions would participants, as administrators, ask Maria?
Smooth Sailing Elementary School

65. STAR Math Grade: 5 Teacher: Maria Sanchez
Grade Equivalent Change
+1.2
Above GE**
+0.4
On GE*
+0.9
Below GE
June GE Gain
August Grade Equivalent
* Within 2 months of 5.0 ( )
** Within 2 months of 5.9 ( )
Another way to look at it…
Those who started as Below Equivalent made 0.9 grade levels worth of growth (averaged); those on grade level only 0.4’s year worth of growth (averaged); those above grade level 1.2 year’s worth of growth (averaged)
What are the overall implications for each group of students? Which have already achieved mastery? Which are on their way? Which are being left behind?

66. Did Maria reach her objective?
Finally, administrators will have to make a summative assessment.

67. Highly Effective? Effective? Partially Effective? Ineffective?
Is Maria…
Highly Effective?
Effective?
Partially Effective?
Ineffective?
Based on her data, Maria would most likely be Partially Effective based on her Student Learning Objectives. Other evidence might put her in a different category (such as her Student Growth Percentiles).
From the Teacher Evaluation handbook: The school district must determine a method by which to rate student learning objective achievement as highly effective, effective, partially effective, or ineffective. This criteria needs to be established and communicated at the beginning of the year.

68. Summative Evaluation: Example Decision-Making Rules
Highly Effective: 90% of students met objective and more than 50% of students exceeded the objective
Effective: At least 80% of students met or exceeded the objective
Partially Effective: Less than 80% of students met or exceeded the objective; AND < 50% of students failed to meet the objective
Ineffective: Less than 80% of students met or exceeded the objective; AND ≥ 50% of students failed to meet the objective
How does having Decision-Making rules make the process more reliable? Explain that districts will have to determine their own rules.

69. When collecting data, consider…
Do you want scores by individual students or student groups?
Do you want averages?
Will you look at progress, achievement, or both?
Will teachers turn in graphs, charts, or raw data?
Have participants work together in groups to brainstorm answers to these questions.

70. In summary… What are the benefits of student learning objectives?
Allow participants a few minutes to discuss in groups, then share out

71. In summary… What are the challenges to student learning objectives?
Allow participants a few minutes to discuss in groups, then share out

72. Common Challenges Data access & analysis
Robustness of data system
Teacher & administrator skills
Sufficient & appropriate assessments
Writing SMART objectives
Clarifying the acceptable amount of progress
Developing instructionally-based strategies
See Marzano et al., Schmoker, Collins, Blankstein, Fullan, etc….
For each, have participants discuss what they can do to overcome this particular challenge in their district

73. Setting Student Learning Objectives…
Focuses on student results
Connects teaching with learning
Improved instruction in the classroom
Contributes to school improvement
But … must be based on valid and reliable assessments of student learning
Remind participants of the benefits again to emphasize that even though there are challenges, that doesn’t mean that it’s not worth it

74. Enhancing Teacher Quality: Questioning
Which of these will have the most direct effect on individual student learning?
Classroom Assessment
District Curriculum and Assessments
Discuss with participants.
State Standards and Assessments
TQR Teacher Quality Resources, LLC (c) 2005

75. Why is Classroom Assessment so important?
Enhancing Teacher Quality: Questioning
Why is Classroom Assessment so important?
State Standards and Assessments
District Curriculum and Assessments
Classroom Assessment
State Standards and assessment are interpreted by local districts.
Teachers interpret district curriculum and assessments.
Then, they teach, and create their own assessments.
…Because it is closest to the actual student and to student learning!
TQR Teacher Quality Resources, LLC (c) 2005

76. James H. Stronge james.stronge@strongeandassociates.com 757.221.2339
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James H. Stronge