The new Queensland state school teacher performance review process

Queensland state schools teacher performance review process What is the new State School Strategy? What is the new teacher performance review process? What does this mean for you? What resources are available? Outline of session.

Every student succeeding State Schools Strategy 2014 – 2018 The State Schools Strategy identifies key actions to lift performance across the system. By working together, communicating better with each other, developing our people, and reviewing our performance, we will ensure our schools are among the best in the world. Teaching quality refers to the development professional knowledge, practice and engagement. Professional knowledge - deep understandings of: the P-12 curriculum, assessment and reporting framework the Australian Curriculum. Professional practice: Implementation of school-wide pedagogical framework. Improved literacy and numeracy achievement. Use of differentiated coaching. Professional engagement through use of: a performance development process the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.

What is the new teacher performance review process? In July 2013, DET and the QTU agreed to a joint statement on the alignment of the Developing Performance Framework with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers following agreement on their use by Ministers for Education nationally. Every student succeeding State Schools Strategy 2014-2018: Teachers employing high quality, evidence-based teaching practices focused on success for every student. DET and the QTU have agreed on a process, aligned with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, which is designed specifically for teachers from the commencement of 2015. DET and the QTU is continuing to negotiate an annual performance review process for school leaders and classified officers. The most recent DET and QTU joint statement – ‘The annual teacher performance review process’ - supports and extends on the previous joint statement – ‘Transition to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers within the Developing Performance Framework’. In 2015: Principals are to continue to utilise the Principal Capability Framework Deputy Principals are to continue to use the Deputy Principal Capability Framework, or the process currently in use in the school HODs and HOCs are to use the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.

Developing performance framework Teacher performance review process Old vs New Developing performance framework Teacher performance review process Four step process Linked to the QCT or DET Professional Standards for Teachers Verbal or written plan Ongoing review and feedback – written and/or verbal Focussed on completing key work tasks, achieving career goals and undertaking professional development Career and/or performance goals Three step process Aligned to Australian Professional Standards for Teachers Written plan Ongoing review and feedback – written and verbal Growing capability by strengthening the performance-focussed culture in school through on-going professional learning Career and performance goals This presentation focuses on the new annual review process for teachers. For all other employees, such as administrative officers, schools’ officers and teacher aides, school leaders will need to continue to use DETE’s Developing Performance Framework and the Queensland Public Service Capability and Leadership Framework.

Teacher performance review process in action Schools have flexibility over the timing of the commencement of the 12-month cycle. Formal feedback conversations about the plan should not occur more than 4 times within a 12 month cycle. The agreed template supports a consistent approach to developing a plan across the state. Essential elements as contained within the Australian Teacher Performance and Development Framework include: documented goals regularly reviewed with ways of gauging progress agreed with principal or delegate teachers supported to work towards their goals including access to high quality professional learning – formal or informal multiple sources of evidence on teacher performance regular formal and informal feedback, including a formal review against their goals at least annually, with verbal and written feedback being provided to the teacher. The Department of Education and Training in conjunction with the Queensland Teachers’ Union have released a joint statement supporting the new process.

Phase 1: Reflection and goal setting Reflect on your school context and priorities Reflect on and record your strengths and areas for development Collaboratively establish three performance and development goals aligned to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers Record your agreed upon goals using the SMART model Identify actions required to support achievement of your goals Identify your indicators for success – How will you know you have achieved your goals? What evidence will you use? During Phase 1 School priorities: Plans are reflective of the school context in which they are working. A section on the template is provided for the schools’ priorities. Reflect on strengths and areas for development: Teachers self reflect against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Self-reflection can be done in a number of ways, one of which can be the use of AITSL’s on-line self-assessment tool (http://www.selfassessment.aitsl.edu.au/). Goals: Goals should be based on the school’s shared view of effective teaching, and reflective of systemic, professional and local priorities and context. Agreement on performance and development goals and actions to develop capability, and indicators for success: Three collaboratively established goals, which should identify actions required to support achievement of the goals and indicators for success.

Example: Koala State School Context: Koala SS is located in a metropolitan region and has a population of 750 students. It is a P–12 coeducational school. Students are from a diverse range of backgrounds including Indigenous and international. Our school focuses on the holistic development of students including physical, emotional, social and cognitive to provide a supportive learning environment for all. Priorities: The schools priorities for 2015 are: Literacy with a specific focus on writing. Upper two bands – all areas. Implementation of School-wide Positive Behaviour Support. Slides 8 to 14 reflect an example of the unpacking of an Annual performance development plan for teachers at Koala State School. It is understood that there will be a range of contexts throughout the state. You may wish to modify this slide to reflect your context and priorities.

AITSL Self-Assessment tool Reflections To set authentic goals, it is important to reflect on current professional practices. What methods might you use to support assessment and self reflection? Does your school have an agreed process for self reflection? Other ways to reflect may include: SWOT Analysis observation feedback student data previous performance development plans. AITSL Self-Assessment tool

Koala State School example: Annual performance development plan Following reflection Once you have completed a reflective process, you then need to identify a maximum of three focus areas for learning and development. These must be framed around the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and can be from any domain. Koala State School example: Annual performance development plan Phase 1 & 2 — Goal setting, Professional practice and learning Focus areas for improvement Agreed performance and development goals Actions to develop capability Indicators for success Reflections, comments and notes during Phase 2 - professional practice and learning Professional practice Standard 4: Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments  4.3 Manage challenging behaviour This is an example of Domain 2, Standard 4, Focus Area 4.3. Three performance and development goals to be established collaboratively (it is encouraged but not necessary for a goal from each domain to be established)

How do I know my goal is SMART? The SMART approach to developing goals is a useful model for goal and success indicator formulation. The goals should be regularly reviewed and adjusted if circumstances change.

Koala State School example: Annual performance development plan Goals aligned to Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and school priorities Koala State School example: Annual performance development plan Phase 1 & 2 — Goal setting, Professional practice and learning Focus areas for improvement Agreed performance and development goals Refer to Smart Goals Framework (Specific, Measurable, Accurate, Relevant, Time-phased) Actions to develop capability Indicators for success Reflections, comments and notes during Phase 2 - professional practice and learning Professional practice Standard 4: Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments  4.3 Manage challenging behaviour By the end of Term 2, I will research, develop and implement a range of strategies to effectively deal with challenging behaviours in the classroom so that student learning and well-being is optimised. This is an example of a SMART goal.

Professional learning Relevant Collaborative Futures-focused Examples: Professional learning teams Peer observation Moderating student work Formal studies Action research Case discussions Coaching Mentoring Modelling The Australian Charter for Professional Learning of teachers and school leaders has been developed. It identifies the types of professional learning most likely to lead sustainable change. The Charter details the characteristics of effective professional learning: Relevant: the learning must assist teachers and school leaders to address and adapt to challenges in improving student learning, well being and engagement with learning. Collaborative: when it connects teaches and leaders within and across schools and to external experts. It involves a disciplined and purposeful approach to solving the challenges most important to improving student outcomes. Futures–focused: professional learning that develops teachers and leaders who are adaptable and able to deal with new and unexpected challenges. The Australian Charter for Professional Learning of Teachers and School Leaders

Actions to develop capability Koala State School example: Annual performance development plan Phase 1 & 2 — Goal setting, Professional practice and learning Focus areas for improvement Agreed performance and development goals Refer to Smart Goals Framework (Specific, Measurable, Accurate, Relevant, Time-phased) Actions to develop capability Be specific Indicators for success Reflections, comments and notes during Phase 2 - professional practice and learning Professional practice Standard 4: Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments  4.3 Manage challenging behaviour By the end of Term 2, I will research, develop and implement a range of strategies to effectively deal with challenging behaviours in the classroom so that student learning and well-being is optimised. Identify and observe colleagues who apply a range of effective behaviour management strategies Access information and courses on behaviour management Reflect on and adapt behaviour management techniques and strategies based on individual student needs Arrange for peer and/or mentor observation and feedback of behaviour management strategies in lesson/s This is an example of actions to develop capability (professional learning) that aligns with the SMART goal.

Evidence The teacher and their supervisor will identify and agree on appropriate evidence to measure successful attainment of goals. Evidence supports teachers knowing if what they are doing is making a difference to improve outcomes for their students. Teachers can use evidence from their daily practice in their reflection and feedback conversations. A piece of evidence may be used to demonstrate one or more standard descriptors. Evidence needs to come from a range of sources (indicated in the following table). NOTE: Teachers are not required to develop a portfolio of evidence.

Possible examples of evidence (taken from the AITSL guides) Types of Evidence Evidence Category Possible examples of evidence (taken from the AITSL guides) Teaching and learning programs term, semester or full year programs – unit plans Lesson plans Learning resources Learning tasks and activities Classroom observations Lesson observation notes Video clips of practice Student assessment and learning Student conference outcomes Teacher records of student performance Assessment tools, tests, strategies Individual learning plans Individual student learning targets Data sets (short, medium term) Class achievement data Benchmark testing Attendance and behaviour Triangulation of data Reflection and feedback Student conference notes Student feedback and survey data Parent-teacher interview notes 360° feedback Performance development plan Collaboration and communication Meeting logs Parent communication Involvement in school committees Community partnerships Professional learning Learning journal Action research project Professional associations

Guides to evidence QCT website AITSL website (Proficient) The APSTs have been branded in two ways by both QCT and AITSL and these are exactly the same – there is only one Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. More information on the aspirational career stages of Highly Accomplished and Lead are available on the AITSL website – in the documents titled Certification documentary evidence supplement: Highly Accomplished teachers / Lead teachers. However, the certification process itself is not currently available in Queensland. Transition from provisional to full registration can take up to 4 years. Australian Professional Standards for Teachers

What evidence will demonstrate attainment of my goals? Koala State School example: Annual performance development plan Phase 1 & 2 — Goal setting, Professional practice and learning Focus areas for improvement Agreed performance and development goals Refer to Smart Goals Framework (Specific, Measurable, Accurate, Relevant, Time-phased) Actions to develop capability Be specific Indicators for success Refer to Documentary Evidence Guides Reflections, comments and notes during Phase 2 - professional practice and learning Professional practice Standard 4: Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments  4.3 Manage challenging behaviour By the end of Term 2, I will research, develop and implement a range of strategies to effectively deal with challenging behaviours in the classroom so that student learning and well-being is optimised. Identify and observe colleagues who apply a range of effective behaviour management strategies Access information and courses on behaviour management Reflect on and adapt behaviour management techniques and strategies based on individual student needs Arrange for peer and/or mentor observation and feedback of behaviour management strategies in lesson/s The final step of this phase is for the supervisor and the teacher to sign the plan to confirm the agreement. Professional practice Standard 4: Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments  4.3 Manage challenging behaviour By the end of Term 2, I will research, develop and implement a range of strategies to effectively deal with challenging behaviours in the classroom so that student learning and well-being is optimised. Identify and observe colleagues who apply a range of effective behaviour management strategies Access information and courses on behaviour management Reflect on and adapt behaviour management techniques and strategies based on individual student needs Arrange for peer and/or mentor observation and feedback of behaviour management strategies in lesson/s

Phase 2: Professional practice and learning Undertake professional formal or informal learning to support achievement of planned goals Identify, collect and reflect on agreed evidence to support the achievement of your goals Receive formal and/or informal feedback focused on improvement : Formal feedback no more than 4 times in the 12 month cycle During Phase 2 Teachers are supported to undertake the nominated professional learning (formal and informal) to: support teachers’ achievement of the goals in their plans grow teachers’ professional capability. Teachers need to collect evidence of the effectiveness of their professional learning and practices in relation to their nominated goals. The plan should be regularly reviewed, but no more than 4 times per year. The plan reflects teachers’ day to day work. Regular conversations need to occur about progress. Review progress and determine further actions through identifying and reflecting on evidence.

Ongoing evidence to support learning Provides the basis for ongoing feedback, reflection and further development Helps you to understand your progress in your identified performance goals Assists you to identify any additional or different actions or modifications required to achieve your goals Assists you to discuss your annual performance achievements with your supervisor Teachers transferring or leaving a school and beginning at a different school during the 12-month cycle should be encouraged to take their plan with them and share with their new leadership team. Teachers both permanent and temporary require a plan if they are being employed for 1 Term.

Phase 3: Feedback and review Throughout the process, as well during Phase 3, timely, and frequent improvement focused feedback provided Full reflection of performance against agreed goals using multiple sources of evidence Verbal and written feedback provided Feedback may form the basis for subsequent performance reviews Retention as an official record (signed and dated) During Phase 3 At the end of each yearly cycle, supervisors will meet with each teacher to review and reflect on the teacher’s performance against their nominated goals using multiple sources of evidence. This reflection process may inform the next teacher performance review cycle. Final comments by the teacher and supervisor should be in relation to the achievement of goals. This can inform the new cycle of the teacher performance process. The teacher provides overall comments regarding the review outcomes and the document needs to be signed and dated by both parties. There may be a number of reasons why a goal is not achieved, and it is important that both the teacher and their principal identify these. Where expectations are not met, the teacher and principal or delegate will use the outcomes of the process as a basis for discussions to commence the next cycle of the process. The signed and dated plans should be kept as official records in a confidential manner. The teacher should retain the original copy of the plan. The process is separate and distinct from procedures for the management of unsatisfactory performance.

Key documents State Schools Strategy 2014 – 2018 Joint statements Queensland state schools teacher performance review process Queensland state schools teacher performance review process – A step by step guide Annual performance development plan template Australian Professional Standards for Teachers QCT: Transition to full registration – Providing evidence of practice – Evidence Guide

Resources The Australian Charter for the Professional Learning of Teachers and School Leaders Australian Teacher Performance and Development Framework AITSL online teacher self-assessment tool Looking at Classroom Practice Executive Director: Organisational Transformation

AITSL Resources to support teachers To be used in conjunction with the joint statement.

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