Teacher Evaluation: Implications for Special Educators Leading Change 2014 Virginia Stodola Teacher Evaluation Audra Ahumada Alternative Assessment Lisa Aaroe Professional Learning and Sustainability

Special Educators: A Look at Teacher Evaluation Provide information on the implications for Special Educators Highlight National Trends Share concerns from the field Discuss the use of Student Learning Objectives as one measure of growth

Four Corners Activity What have you heard? What questions do you have? What concerns do you have? How are you currently evaluated? Each group has 5 minutes to chart and share. Choose 1 spokesperson to share out.

Teacher Effectiveness (Evaluation) Teachers face tougher evaluations than ever, according to the National Council on Teacher Quality report. "The number of states that have moved so far forward on teacher evaluation is just striking -- more than 40 states now require student achievement to be a factor in teacher evaluations is very different from where we were before," Sandi Jacobs, the group's vice president, said in an interview. "There's been a real transformation."

Review of States’ Models (Teacher Effectiveness) Include a variety of data into the measuring of teacher effectiveness (including growth measurements) Have varying levels of models being implemented ( i.e. pilot systems) Trying to develop fair and rigorous measures for all teachers

Similarities and Differences Across States ectiveness_Policies_NCTQ_Report

National Concerns for Special Educators 1. Sensitivity of progress in models for students with the most significant disabilities 2. Ambiguity of writing SLOs for classes/subjects- not IEP goals/objectives for individuals- writing an SLO for class of very diverse students for use in effectiveness models

National Concerns for Special Educators 3. Trained observers who recognize the knowledge and skills of a special educator as research based practice 4. Limited research base for how to link academic growth to teacher evaluation and the consequences of doing so 5. Implications and impact of service delivery models (co-teaching)

CEC’s Position

4 General Characteristics of Teacher Evaluation Systems One evaluation system. Identify appropriate professional learning opportunities. Support continuous improvement. Open and transparent

Recognize the Complex Roles and Professionalism of Special Education Teachers Based on a special education teacher’s specific roles and responsibilities Considers the population of children and youth and their range of exceptionalities Evaluations must be conducted by evaluators with expertise in special education. Evaluations must respect special education teachers’ professional practice and have reasonable case loads and paperwork responsibilities; competitive salaries; benefits; access to resources; and positive working conditions.

Rules of Evaluations Must be based on multiple reliable measures Should never be based solely on student growth. Should not use a student’s progress on their goals, objectives, and benchmarks in the IEP as a measure of a special education teacher’s contribution to student growth.

Continually Incorporate Findings From Research Leaders of evaluation systems reforms must collaborate to ensure that the development and implementation of evaluation systems are carried out in a systematic, coordinated, and efficient manner. Research should identify reliable measures and indicators of student growth that can be validly used to evaluate special education teachers. Policy makers and leaders should consider the intended and unintended consequences of wide-scale implementation of teacher evaluation systems.

ADE’s Educator Evaluation Model The Effective Teachers and Leaders Unit & The Research and Development Section evaluation/

Holistic View of Teacher Effectiveness and Use of Multiple Measures: Teaching Performance: Planning and Preparation The Classroom Environment Instruction Professional Responsibilities Teaching Performance: Planning and Preparation The Classroom Environment Instruction Professional Responsibilities Student Academic Progress Achievement Growth College and Career Ready Surveys Student Survey Parent Survey Peer Review Self-Reflection

Pre-Conference Considerations Example Role Play: Danielson Framework, 2013 Indicator 3c Student Engagement Self Contained- Alternate Assessment (Audra) Resource Classroom (Lisa)

Student Academic Progress 17

Student Efficacy: Attendance and Graduation Rates- Lag Data Current Year Data for Achievement and Growth Student Academic Progress Data-Multiple Measures

Group A Teachers Arizona Framework For Measuring Educator Effectiveness – April Elementary Teachers Grades 2-6 Special Education Teachers Math & English Grades 9-10 Science Teachers Grades 4, 8, & 10 Reading and Math Interventionists

Group B Teachers Arizona Framework For Measuring Educator Effectiveness – April  CTE  Performing Arts  Computers  P.E.  Gr. K-1 Elementary  Gr Social Studies  Gr. 7 & 9 Science  Gr All Subjects

So why use SLOs? SLOs are one way to assess teacher impact on student performance that involves the teacher in the process of goal setting, monitoring, and assessing of student progress within the expertise of their own content area. 21

What is a Student Learning Objective? What They Are Classroom level measures of student growth and/or achievement Over the entire course Standards based content Specific & Measurable What They Are Not Individual lesson objectives Units of study Teaching to the test 22

Planning a system of support to measure growth Prior Year Data Assessments Setting SLO Targets Interventions Collecting Data

SLO Process-ADE Model Determining Students’ Preparedness Choosing Quality Assessments Setting SLO Targets Monitoring and Adjusting Instruction Establishing Summative Score What do we expect students to learn? How will we know if students have learned it? What will we do if they don’t learn it? What will we do if they already know it?

75%

SLO Achievement Statement Includes ALL Students in the class, including SPED & ELL Student Learning Objective Process

SLO Achievement Statement Example 80% of the students will score a minimum of 75% on the end of course final by May % of the students will score a 3 in the proficiency range on the performance assessment by May 2015.

45% 55% 65%

Option #1: Levels of Preparedness Option #1: Levels of Preparedness Growth Approach 29

Option #1: Levels of Preparedness Option #1: Levels of Preparedness Growth Approach High Level of Preparedness ◦A◦A ll students will increase their potential growth score by at least ? % Adequate Level of Preparedness ◦A◦A ll students will increase their potential growth score by at least ? % Low Level of Preparedness ◦A◦A ll students will increase their potential growth score by at least ? %

Differentiates for each individual student based on a prescribed rubric Option #2: Individualized Growth Statements

Example of Individualized SLO Growth Statements Each student will reach their individual growth cut score on AimsWeb by moving over at least one category’s growth on the performance rubric by May Each student will reach their individual growth cut score on the final general science exam calculated by using the prescribed formula by May 2015.

3-2-1-Wrap-Up 3 actions I will take immediately 2 actions I will plan to have in place 2-3 months from now 1 action I will have in place in 6 months

Interest Cards I am interested in receiving technical assistance for: Teacher Evaluation System (All Components)______ Teacher Performance Component_______ Student Academic Progress Component______ Student Learning Objectives -SLOs_______ ESS Support for effective teacher evaluations____ 34

Contact Information Contact Information Lisa Aaroe Director of Recruitment and Retention Exceptional Student Services Audra Ahumada Director of Alternative Assessment Assessment Virginia Stodola Education Program Specialist Effective Teachers and Leaders