SMART GOALS Dr. Ann M. Papagiotas

WHY SMART GOALS? They are the heart of the EDUCATOR PLAN

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Every educator is an active participant in an evaluation process that supports collaboration and continuous learning Continuous Learning Revised 10/15/2011 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 3

What Is Required? A minimum of one individual or team professional practice goal to improve the educator’s professional practice tied to one or more statewide Standards & Indicators and any additional local performance standards A minimum of one individual or team student learning goal to improve the learning, growth and achievement of the students under the educator’s responsibility

SMART GOAL Framework S = Specific & Strategic M = Measurable A = Action Oriented R = Rigorous, Realistic & Results T = Timed & Tracked

Goals with an action plan and benchmarks that have these characteristics are SMART!

Is this goal SMART? I will lose weight and get in condition!

Getting SMARTER! Between March 15 and Memorial Day, I will lose 10 pounds and be able to run 1 mile nonstop.

IS it SMART Enough? It’s Specific & Strategic = 10 lbs, 1 mile It’s Measureable = pounds, miles It’s Action-oriented = lose, run It’s got the R’s = weight loss, distance It’s Timed = 10 weeks

SMARTer GOALS SMARTer goals need to add an action plan and benchmarks. They make sure the goal meets the final criterion, TRACKED. They also strengthen the other criteria, especially when the benchmarks include process benchmarks for tracking progress on the key actions and outcome benchmarks that track early evidence of change and/or progress toward the ultimate goal.

KEY ACTIONS Reduce my daily calorie intake to fewer than 1,200 calories for each of 10 weeks Walk 15 minutes/day; increase my time by 5 minutes /week for the next 4 weeks Starting in week 5, run and walk in intervals for 30 minutes, increasing the proportion of time spent running instead of walking until I can run a mile, nonstop, by week 10.

BENCHMARKS For process, maintaining a daily record of calorie intake and exercise For outcome, biweekly weight loss and running distance targets (ex., After 2 weeks; 2 lbs/0 miles; 4 weeks; 4 lbs/0 miles; 6 weeks; 6 lbs/.2 miles; 8 weeks; 8 lbs/ .4 miles.

S = Specific & Strategic Goals need to be straightforward and clearly written, with specificity to determine whether or not they have been achieved. A goal is strategic when it serves an important purpose of the school or district as a whole and addresses something that is likely to have a big impact on our overall vision

M = Measureable If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. What measures of quantity, quality, and/or impact will you use to determine that you have achieved the goal? How will you measure progress along the way? Progress along the way is typically measured through “benchmarks”. Some “benchmarks” focus on the process: are you doing what you said you were going to do? Other “benchmarks” focus on the outcome: are you seeing early signs of progress toward the results?

A = Action Oriented Goals have active, not passive verbs. And the action steps attached to them will tell you “who” is doing “what.” Without clarity about what you’re actually going to do to achieve the goal, a goal is only a hope with little chance of being achieved. Making clear the key actions required to achieve a goal helps everyone see how their part of the work is connected to other parts of the work and to a larger purpose. Knowing that helps people stay focused and energized, rather than fragmented and uncertain

R = Rigorous, Realistic, Results Focused A goal is not an activity: a goal makes clear what will be different as a result of achieving a goal. A goal describes a realistic result. It stretches the educator, team, school or district toward improvement but not out of reach. The focus and effort required to achieve a rigorous but realistic goal should be challenging but not exhausting. Too high will be discouraging and too low won’t serve the students.

T = Timed & Tracked A goal needs to have a deadline. Deadlines help all of us take action. For a goal to be accomplished, times need to be established when key actions will be completed and benchmarks achieved. Tracking the progress you make on your action steps (process benchmarks) is essential. Tracking isn’t enough. Outcome benchmarks help you know whether you are on track to achieve your goal and/or whether you’ve reached your goal. Benchmarks give you a way to see your progress. They also give you the information you need to make mid-course corrections.

= A Goal Statement + Key Actions Benchmarks (Process & Outcome) A SMARTER GOAL = A Goal Statement + Key Actions Benchmarks (Process & Outcome)

A SMARTER GOAL MODEL

5 STEPS Step 1: USE STUDENT LEARNING & OTHER DATA TO IDENTIFY GOAL AREAS Step 2: IDENTIFY ELEMENTS FROM THE RUBRIC THAT ARE CRITICAL FOR YOUR GOAL AREA Step 3: FOCUS ONTHE ELEMENTS FROM THE RUBRIC Step 4: DRAFT THE GOAL STATEMENT Step 5: ADD KEY ACTIONS & BENCHMARKS (Revise goal statement as needed)