Aligning Academic Review and Performance Evaluation (AARPE) Virginia Department of Education Office of School Improvement Aligning Academic Review and Performance Evaluation (AARPE) Session 2 2014-15 Technical Assistance Sessions for Selected Divisions

Technical Assistance Initially Offered 2014-15 1 of 5 Overview and Purpose To improve instruction and instructional leadership practices by strengthening the alignment between the Performance Standards for Teachers and Principals and the Lesson Planning, Lesson Observation, Professional Development, and Leadership Academic Review Tools. To develop sample evidence for the sample performance indicators in Teacher Performance Standards for professional knowledge, instructional delivery (planning), assessment of and for learning, and learning environment. The sample evidence for each performance indicator will become a tool that can enhance the division’s observation tools. (District and School Leadership)

Technical Assistance Initially Offered 2014-15 Overview and Purpose 2 of 5 Overview and Purpose (continued) To develop sample evidence for the sample performance indicators in the Principal Performance Standard for instructional leadership. The sample evidence for each performance indicator will become a tool that can enhance the division’s tools. (District Leadership) To enhance feedback skills of building and district leaders.

Technical Assistance Initially Offered 2014-15 3 of 5 Outcomes Each participant will Set clear and measurable goals for his/her work. Implement action steps with fidelity. Monitor and provide feedback. Adjust based upon monitoring and data. Repeat the cycle.

Technical Assistance Initially Offered 2014-15 4 of 5 Roles/responsibilities Principals/district staff will use their own work as a starting point and will bring a predetermined number of completed walkthrough feedback forms and formal observation documents to each session throughout the year. Principals, appropriate district staff, and OSI-approved personnel will conduct monthly walkthroughs and formal observations per the established timeline. District staff will support and monitor principals’ delivery of professional development on the sets of sample evidence developed to appropriate school staff. Lead Turnaround Partner (LTP) will support AARPE training in their work with building leaders and other staff.

Technical Assistance Initially Offered 2014-15 5 of 5 4. Professional Development Norms Arrive on time and stay the entire session. Be an active participant. (Complete in-session and between-session work.) Reserve school/district/personal business for established breaks. Maintain confidentiality. Use large sticky notes to indicate additional professional development needed/desired.

Essential Questions How do the components and criteria of the selected academic review tools align with the Teacher and Principal Performance Evaluation Standards lesson observation tool? How do we use these tools for school improvement? How do we know we are making progress? What are the next steps?

Next Steps for AARPE 2 (Completed by the date of Session 2) District Next Steps:

Main Areas for Evidence Collection during Observations Where are we? Standard 1: Professional Knowledge Standard 2: Instructional Planning Standard 3: Instructional Delivery Standard 4: Assessment of/for Learning (formative assessment) Standard 5: Learning Environment Standard 6: Professionalism Standard 7: Student Academic Progress

Enhancing Teacher Quality: Questioning Standard 3: Instructional Delivery The teacher effectively engages students in learning by using a variety of instructional strategies in order to meet individual learning needs. Sample Performance Indicators: 3.1 Engages and maintains students in active learning. 3.2 Builds upon students’ existing knowledge and skills. 3.3 Differentiates instruction to meet the students’ needs. 3.4 Reinforces learning goals consistently throughout the lesson. 3.5 Uses a variety of effective instructional strategies and resources. 3.6 Uses instructional technology to enhance student learning. 3.7 Communicates clearly and checks for understanding. TQR Teacher Quality Resources, LLC (c) 2005

Teacher Standard 3 – Look Fors Activity Step One: Individual Work - Look through your observations, walkthroughs, and/or written feedback and highlight and label (3.1, 3.2, etc.) any examples of “Look Fors” for Performance Standard 3 Sample Performance Indicators. Step Two: Table Groups – Combine your list of “Look Fors” into one unduplicated list and have one person from your table email the list to facilitator. Include the names of all participants at your table at the bottom of your list. Step Three: Facilitators share combined lists and assign one indicator to each table. Table group discusses examples and determines a final list of sample “Look Fors” for the specific Performance Standard 3 Sample Performance Indicator assigned to their table. Assign a Recorder to type the list in an email. Step Four: Table groups report out (Whole Group Feedback). Assign a Reporter to present the list. While the Reporter shares out, the Recorder makes all changes to the list in the email and sends the final list to (INSERT EMAIL)

Standard 1: Instructional Leadership (Principal) 1 of 2 Sample Performance Indicators: 1.1 Leads the collaborative development and sustainment of a compelling shared vision for educational improvement and works collaboratively with staff, students, parents, and other stakeholders to develop a mission and programs consistent with the division’s strategic plan. 1.2 Collaboratively plans, implements, supports, monitors, and evaluates instructional programs that enhance teaching and student academic progress, and lead to school improvement. 1.3 Analyzes current academic achievement data and instructional strategies to make appropriate educational decisions to improve classroom instruction, increase student achievement, and improve overall school effectiveness. 1.4 Possesses knowledge of research-based instructional best practices in the classroom. 1.5 Works collaboratively with staff to identify student needs and to design, revise, and monitor instruction to ensure effective delivery of the required curriculum. 1.6 Provides teachers with resources for the successful implementation of effective instructional strategies. .

Standard 1: Instructional Leadership (Principal) 2 of 2 Sample Performance Indicators: 1.7 Monitors and evaluates the use of diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment to provide timely and accurate feedback to students and parents, and to inform instructional practices. 1.8 Provides collaborative leadership for the design and implementation of effective and efficient schedules that protect and maximize instructional time. 1.9 Provides the focus for continued learning of all members of the school community. 1.10 Supports professional development and instructional practices that incorporate the use of achievement data and result in increased student progress. 1.11Participates in professional development alongside teachers when instructional strategies are being taught for future implementation. 1.12 Demonstrates the importance of professional development by providing adequate time and resources for teachers and staff to participate in professional learning (i.e., peer observation, mentoring, coaching, study groups, learning teams). 1.13 Evaluates the impact professional development has on the staff/school improvement and student academic progress.

Principal Standards Look Fors Activity Step One: Individual Work - Look through your observations, walkthroughs, and/or written feedback and highlight and label any examples of “Look Fors” for the appropriate principal performance standards. Step Two: Table Groups – Combine your list of “Look Fors” into one unduplicated list and have one person from your table email the list to facilitator. Include the names of all participants at your table at the bottom of your list. Step Three: Facilitators share combined lists and assign one indicator to each table. Table group discusses examples and determines a final list of sample “Look Fors” for the specific Performance Standard 1 Sample Performance Indicator assigned to their table. Assign a Recorder to type the list in an email. Step Four: Table groups report out (Whole Group Feedback). Assign a Reporter to present the list. While the Reporter shares out, the Recorder makes all changes to the list in the email and sends the final list to (INSERT EMAIL)

Why Evaluation Only Is Not Enough Teacher evaluation is not an end in itself, but a means to an end — TEACHER IMPROVEMENT. Davis, D. R., Ellett, C. D., & Annunziata, J. (2002). Teacher evaluation, leadership and learning organizations. Journal of Personnel Evaluation in Education, 16(4), 287-301. p. 288.

Making Permanent Changes: The Importance of Leadership Explicit Training and Expectations on Needed Skills Plus Explicit, Sustained Emphasis and Monitoring of New Skills Equals Change in Practice

STANDARDS & INDICATORS Focus of Evidence (Evidence is the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid.) STANDARDS & INDICATORS Teacher Practice Student Learning

Reliability in Observations Common Reliability Issues in Observations Lack of criterion reliability Establishing intra-evaluator reliability Lack of inter-evaluator reliability

Solution: Establishing Criterion Reliability Training with an expert observer Practice scoring using videos, documentation, etc. Instruction on how to interpret evidence Information about common sources of systemic observer error The MET Project, 2013

Solution: Establishing Intra-Evaluator Reliability (1 of 2) Watch the same lesson multiple times with time between Give ratings based on multiple pieces of evidence rather than single observations The Met Project, 2013

Solution: Establishing Inter-Evaluator Reliability (2 of 2) Calibrate evidence collection during initial training Conduct tandem observations and performance reviews with multiple evaluators The Met Project, 2013

Inter-Rater Reliability: In Action Training Purpose: Why this work? Training Definitions: Formal Observation – 30 Minutes Walkthroughs – 15 minutes How many Formal Observations per month? How many walkthroughs per month? Framework for Inter-Rater Reliability Work Who is observed? When does this work begin? Time Management

Framework for Inter-Rater Reliability Work Who: Principal, AARPE Key Division Leader, OSI-approved personnel When: One day between Session 2 date and Session 3 date One day between Session 3 date and Session 4 date One day between Session 4 date and Session 5 date These 3 days are identified by the principal, AARPE Division Leader, and OSI-approved personnel and are considered as non-negotiable. What: Established Recommendations for each of the 3 days: 4 – 30 minute observations AND 4 – 15 minute walkthroughs The school division’s forms will be used by all division staff. (Note: OSI-approved personnel will use VDOE sample observation form and the division’s walkthrough form.) 4. Debriefing: Formal debriefing will be conducted at the next scheduled AARPE session.

Time Management Plan ahead, establish and publish (with appropriate staff) times for observing in classrooms. Discuss with appropriate district staff, gaining stakeholder support by making it known that there will be times the administrative staff is unavailable while observing instruction in the classroom. Chunk out time: Mornings on Wednesdays and Fridays, afternoons on Tuesdays, etc. Plan for distributed leadership: who will be your designee for what? What is an acceptable reason to interrupt? 4. What time management strategies are you planning for this year?

Tying It All Together (Making It Real) 1 of 2 Step One: Individual Work - Select one of the observations that you brought with you today. (It can be one from previous activities or a totally different one.) With your “Look Fors” from this morning, revise written feedback for Standard 3 to provide more specific feedback. (Write revised feedback on a separate piece of paper.) Step Two: Exchange what you have written with someone at your table. Step Three: Provide written feedback on your partner’s revised feedback. Does the written feedback Avoid terms that express judgment? Avoid words that imply quantity? Stick to the five senses? Indicate Who, What, When, Where, How? (Remember you do not have to describe everything, but the more descriptive you are, the more teachers will get from the feedback and the more evidence you will have for the summative rating.)

Tying It All Together (Making It Real) 2 of 2 Step Four: Return observation feedback to original owner with your written feedback. Step Five: Incorporate your partner’s feedback into a final product on a clean sheet of paper. When finished, place the final document in the center of your table with your name on it. Facilitators will collect and redistribute to other tables. Step 6: Group Presentations – Each participant will share his/her assigned revised observation feedback with their table. Tables will provide feedback based upon bullets in Step Three. The participant will document the table’s feedback on the document to be returned to the original owner. Next Steps: Personal reflection: What are my strengths and challenges based upon the work from today?

Questions to Consider: How Do We Know We Are Making Progress? Questions to Consider: Are we focusing on teaching and learning in terms of measurable student progress? Have we developed a process for progress monitoring at the classroom level, the school level, and the division level? Do we make adjustments based upon progress monitoring?

Classroom, School, Division How Do We Know We Are Making Progress? Classroom, School, Division Set clear and measurable goals. Implement action steps with fidelity. Monitor and provide feedback. Adjust based upon monitoring and data. Repeat the cycle.

Next Steps To be completed by Session 3 1. “As agreed upon at the start, each time we meet, we will identify some next steps and give you an opportunity to identify next steps. We will model the importance of being specific - Who does what by when.” (At this time the discussion should be led by the key person in the room who can approve and support the monitoring of next steps. Remind participants that they have next steps in their packet of slides so that they can take notes and record additional next steps, if any. Once next steps are identified, wrap up the day by reinforcing the first observation date. Also include any reminders that might be necessary to prepare for Session 3.)