1. Deepening Our Understanding of Student Learning Objectives (SLOs)
Welcome! By the end of this meeting, you will be able to… (show next slide)

2. Meeting Outcomes Participants will be able to:
Explain how SLOs are part of the Teacher Evaluation process.
Explain the timeline for implementing SLOs.
Give a consistent countywide message about SLOs.
Access sample SLOs online from the SLO Library.
Examine sample SLOs and reflect on possible use.

3. Think, Pair, Share
What do you know about SLOs? What questions do you have that we need to be sure to answer today? What long-term support are you expecting?

4. Maryland’s Vision for Education Reform
WORLD CLASS STUDENTS
the PreK-12 Maryland State Curriculum
Revise
Teacher & Principal Preparation, Development, Retention, and Evaluation
Redesign
a Statewide Technology Infrastructure
Build
the Breakthrough Center Approach
Implement
As part of participating in Maryland’s Race to the Top grant application, HCPSS agreed to support the state’s vision for educational reform. MSDE has indicated that 23 of the local school systems in Maryland,,including HCPSS, plan to incorporate SLOs into their teacher evaluation process.

5. Teacher Evaluation Pilot Schools
Elementary Schools
Dayton Oaks
Jeffers Hill
Ilchester
Waterloo
Middle Schools
Dunloggin
Lime Kiln
Mayfield Woods
High Schools
Hammond
Mount Hebron
River Hill
We have 10 schools participating in the Teacher Evaluation Pilot and 129 teachers. As you can see, there are elementary, middle and high schools.

6. SLO Timeline September 25- Sample SLOs were sent to MSDE.
October 3- Pilot School teachers received an overview of SLOs and support in writing them from DOI staff.
October 8 and 9- Principal Retreats focusing on SLO development- (Coordinators & IFs provide support.)
By October 31- Pilot School teachers have met with their principals to have their SLOs approved.
By ????- All teams at all schools will develop one team/department SLO.
Here is the SLO Timeline…

7. Teacher Evaluation
In order to prepare teachers during a no-fault year, teachers will develop a group SLO with their team or department this year if they are not already a pilot teacher.

8. Professional Practice MSDE Educator Evaluation Requirements
50%
Student Growth
MSDE Educator Evaluation Requirements
As you know, MSDE requires that the teacher evaluation include 50% professional practice, aligned with the Charlotte Danielson model, and 50% student growth. This will be implemented for all teachers during the school year.

9. Professional Practice 50%
Teacher EVALUATION
Professional Practice 50%
MSDE
Charlotte Danielson Framework
Planning and Preparation
Classroom Environment
Instruction
Professional Responsibilities
HCPSS
Our model, aligns with the state model as well as many districts across the nation, aligning professional practice with the Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teacher Evaluation.

10. MSDE HCPSS Student Learning Objectives Domain 5 MSA
Teacher EVALUATION
Student Growth 50%
MSDE
Student Learning Objectives
MSA
School Index
HCPSS
Domain 5
State-Mandated Assessments
The state model includes student learning objectives, MSA, and the school index. The HCPSS model includes the assessment of teacher performance in the new Domain 5, student growth, as well as student performance on state mandated assessments. For the next two years this is MSA, but in the future this will be the PAARC assessments.
Partnership for the Assessment and Readiness for College and Careers

11. The HCPSS Teacher Evaluation Process
The process for teacher evaluation remains aligned with the timeline that you see referenced here. Goal setting occurs in August and September. For the purposes of the pilot year and because of the additional requirements of the SLO, we have extended this timeline to October 31st. Documentation through observation and artifact sharing occurs throughout the year. The mid-year review is a time to share progress, identify challenges, reset course, and the final evaluation culminates in the collaborative dialogue of reviewing the preponderance of evidence.

12. HCPSS Teacher Evaluation Model
Charlotte Danielson’s Framework For Teaching and Learning
Professional Practice (50%)
Qualitative Measures
Domain 1 Planning and
Preparation
12.5%
Domain 2 Classroom Environment
12.5%
Domain 3 Instruction
12.5%
Domain 4 Professional
Responsibilities
12.5%
Domain 5
Student Growth (50%)
Quantitative Measures
Literacy
Reading
Writing
Speaking and Listening
Differentiation
20%/25%
Mathematical Practices
Overarching Habits
Reasoning and Explaining
Modeling and Using Tools
Seeing Structure and
Generalizing
Differentiation
20%/25%
Creative Problem Solving in Support of MD STEM Standards of Practice
Understanding Challenges
Generation of Ideas
Preparation for Action
Application of Technology
Differentiation
20%/25%
Content
Assessments
Performance-Based Tasks
Differentiation
20%/25%
This template defines the HCPSS Teacher Evaluation Model. Professional practice, like the state model, aligns with the 2011 Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teacher Evaluation with each Domain weighted at 12.5 percent. Student Growth is defined by student learning objectives drafted by teachers in consultation with their principals. Teachers will develop two student learning objectives from the four possible indicators of Literacy, Math Practices, Creative Problem Solving in Support of STEM, and Content. For, teachers in non-assessed areas student growth will be measured through progress with two SLOs each worth 25%. For teachers of assessed courses, student growth will be measured through progress in two SLOs, each worth 20% and student progress on MSA equalling 10%.
Growth on State Assessments
(As Mandated by MSDE)
10%

13. Student Learning Objective
Student Learning Objective. A specific, rigorous, long-term goal for groups of students that represents the most important learning during an interval of instruction.
Determined in consultation with evaluator
Flexible and job-specific
Data-rich process
In the HCPSS teacher evaluation model, a significant component of student growth is assessed through the use of Student Learning Objectives or SLOs. SLOs are developed by teachers in consultation with their evaluators. Curriculum staff have developed several sample SLOs for each content area to provide teachers with ideas and models. The models focus on helping teachers identify important growth targets for students and how they can be assessed. The example on the slide is one a first grade teacher might develop. The full SLO document also identifies how students are performing prior to instruction, the rationale for focusing on this aspect of instruction, the criteria the teacher must achieve in order to be rated highly effective or effective, and strategies the teacher will use to help students achieve the identified targets.
Example: 100% of (first grade) students will advance on their developmental checklist as measured by the end of year Howard County Reading Behaviors Checklists.

14. A Student Learning Objective (SLO) is…
…an instructional goal… for specific students…for a specific time interval
Focused on the most valuable learning
Based on the most current student data
Aligned to current curriculum standards
Specific and measurable
Each component of the SLO is important and HCPSS has developed a guide sheet to help teachers think critically about the varied components.
Adapted from New York State District-wide Growth Goal Setting Process – Road Map for Districts

15. Positive Outcomes
When SLOs fully support the goal of increasing student achievement for all students…they have the most impact.
Informs and drives success of LEA/School priorities and needs
Becomes an integral part of successful educators’ practice
Provides accountability for student learning and student growth
Increases strategic and systemic decision-making
Allows for comparable and fair measures of student learning
Uses data to target students’ learning needs increasing rigor and performance
Research in other states has indicated that when SLOs are implemented well, student achievement improves. It is important that we help our teachers understand the shift from the MSA mastery model to the new emphasis on growth for all students. Well designed SLOs can help with shifting the paradigm.
Adapted from New York State District-wide Growth Goal Setting Process – Road Map for Districts

16. Sample SLOs
Pilot teachers will create SLOs in two of the following areas:
Literacy
Mathematical Practices
Creative Problem Solving
Content
Other teachers create one SLO as a team/department by ?????.

17. Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) Process Overview
Identify
Total Student
Population
(Beginning of year)
Implement Data Review and Document Baseline Evidence
Participate in Data Discussions
Identify Complexity Factors
Identify Learning Objective(s)
for Student Population(s)
Develop
Rationale
and
Growth Target(s)
Identify Professional Development
Needs
Receive Professional Development
Implement Instructional Strategies
Monitor Progress
Adjust Instructional Strategies
Mid Interval
Progress Check
Evaluate Effectiveness
Reaching Targets
Identify Professional Development Needs
Continue Professional Development
CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS & DISCUSSIONS
JUNE/JULY
NOVEMBER - MAY
OCTOBER
We are taking things a little bit slower than usual this year. In a normal school year, the SLOs will be developed by the end of September. An important component of the process is for the teacher to share with teacher leaders and curriculum staff the professional development they feel they will need to help students successfully meet their agreed-upon learning targets.
ON-GOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & REFLECTIVE PRACTICE

18. SLO- 100% of students will demonstrate growth towards mastery on…
Population
For whom is the SLO developed?
Learning Content
Describe the content focus for this SLO.
Instructional Interval
How long will instruction be focused on this learning content?
Evidence of Growth
Describe and explain the process used to monitor student growth.
Baseline
Identify baseline data for current student performance level.
Rationale for Student Learning Objective
Why this learning content? Why these students?
Target
To what point will students progress or grow in the content?
Criteria for Effectiveness
Highly Effective Effective Ineffective
Strategies
What instructional strategies will help students achieve the targeted goal?
SLO COMPONENTS
Please find the yellow hard copy of the HCPSS Student Learning Objective GUIDE for SLOs and follow along…

19. Transition to Common Core Link
Below is the link to the
Transition to the Common Core wiki where the library of SLOs reside:
Let’s take a look at the sample SLOs…

20. Student Learning Objectives
Small Group
Process
Student Learning Objectives
Table Rotations…
• Use the guide and Sample SLO to follow along with the content facilitator.
What professional development will your staff need to feel comfortable writing their SLOs?

21. BREAK

22. Secondary Table Groups
Science
Social Studies
English
Mathematics
CTE
G/T
World Languages
PE/Health
Library/Media
Fine Arts
ESOL
Instructional Technology

23. Elementary Table Groups

24. Time Remaining

25. Student Learning Objectives
Points to Remember
Student Learning Objectives
The samples on the Transition to the Common Core wiki are drafts.
Teachers need to create two SLOs from different indicators.
The due date for creating one SLO will be extended.

26. “If properly implemented, student learning objectives help teachers
bring more science to their art,
strengthen instructional support
to the classrooms, and
improve the quality of the outcome.”
William J. Slotnik
Founder and Executive Director
Community Training and Assistance Center

27. Dialogue
What questions/concerns/suggestions do you still have?