Introduction to Student Learning Objectives “SLOs 101” March 2012 Presentation developed by Cheryl Covell, TST BOCES Data Analyst & Heather Sheridan-Thomas, TST BOCES Assistant Supt, with additional materials from Jeff Craig, OCM BOCES Assistant Supt. and NYS ENGAGE website

Session Objectives Understand how Student Learning Objectives fit into the overall NYS Teacher Evaluation system and Race to the Top initiative. Develop a beginning awareness of WHAT an SLO is, WHO needs SLOs, HOW SLO decisions are made, and WHY SLOs are an important element in an overall effort to enhance teaching and learning.

NY State’s Regulations governing teacher evaluation call for a “State-determined District-wide growth goal setting process.” 60% Observations and other tools 20% Locally selected measure 20% Student Growth via: State provided growth score SLO

State-provided Growth Score NO State- provided Growth Score; Use Student Learning Objectives

What Are Student Learning Objectives (SLOs)?

NYSED SLO Framework All SLOs MUST include the following basic components: Student PopulationWhich students are being addressed? Learning Content What is being taught? CCSS/National/State standards? Will this goal apply to all standards applicable to a course or just to specific priority standards? Interval of Instructional Time What is the instructional period covered (if not a year, rationale for semester/quarter/etc)? Evidence What assessment(s) or student work product(s) will be used to measure this goal? Baseline What is the starting level of learning for students covered by this SLO? Target(s) What is the expected outcome (target) by the end of the instructional period? HEDI Criteria How will evaluators determine what range of student performance “meets” the goal (effective) versus “well-below” (ineffective), “below” (developing), and “well-above” (highly effective)? RationaleWhy choose this learning content, evidence and target? 6

Example of an SLO (Part 1) 7 Population Spanish II Class; all 30 students Learning Content New York State Learning Standards for Languages Other Than English (LOTE) IntervalSY (1 year) Evidence 1.Spanish I summative assessment results from students in District-wide pre-assessment administered at the beginning of the school year. 3.District-wide summative assessment administered at the end of the school year. Baseline 1.All students had Spanish I results that demonstrated scores of proficient or higher in all basic vocabulary and grammar. 2.Scores ranged from 6% - 43% on the Spanish II District- wide diagnostic assessment.

Example of an SLO (Part 2) 8 Target(s) and HEDI Scoring 80% of students will demonstrate mastery of at least 75% of the Spanish II performance indicators, as measured by the district’s summative assessment in May Highly Effective (18-20 points) Effective (9-17 points) Developing (3-8 points) Ineffective (0-2 points) % of students demonstrate mastery of 75% of the Spanish II performance indicators. 78% -85% of students demonstrate mastery of 75% of the Spanish II performance indicators. 66% - 77% of students demonstrate mastery of 75% of the Spanish II performance indicators. 65% or less of students demonstrate mastery of 75% of the Spanish II performance indicators. Rationale Previous work in Spanish I focused on working with basic vocabulary and grammar, and building preliminary oral skills. The diagnostic assessment is heavily focused on more advanced writing and reading skills, which are essential components of the Spanish curriculum. Spanish II requires students build on their learning from Spanish I in order to acquire mastery in these areas and to be prepared for Spanish III. Since all students completed Spanish I having achieved basic proficiency levels, I am confident they will achieve 80% mastery or above on at least 75% of the Spanish II materials.

Example of an SLO (Part 1)DRAFT 9 Population Grade 2 students (22 students in a class) Learning Content ELA Common Core Learning Standards (Prioritize Rdg Info Text 1,2,4,6,10 ; Found Sk 3, 4; Language 4) IntervalSY (1 year) Evidence 1. STAR assessment results Baseline Data includes: 1.District Reading Assessment 2.District Writing Assessment Baseline 1. 82% of students demonstrated proficiency on 1 st grade end-of-year STAR assessment % of students demonstrated proficiency on 2 nd grade STAR pre- assessment % of students demonstrated grade level proficiency in reading on district benchmark assessments (DRA 2) by end of 1 st grade 4. 7o% of students demonstrated proficiency on district created benchmark writing assessment in Sept 2012

Example of an SLO (Part 2) DRAFT 10 Target(s) and HEDI Scoring 85 % of all student will demonstrate grade level proficiency in reading as measured by the STAR assessment administered in May OR 90% of students will demonstrate at least one year’s growth from September 2012 to June 2013, as measured by STAR assessment. Highly Effective (18-20 points) Effective (9-17 points) Developing (3-8 points) Ineffective (0-2 points) % of students demonstrate proficiency. OR % of students show at least 1 yr. growth. 78% -85% of students demonstrate proficiency. OR 81-90% of students show at least 1 yr. growth. 66% - 77% of students demonstrate mastery proficiency. OR 71% - 80 of students show at least 1 yr. growth. 65% or less of students demonstrate proficiency. OR 65% or less show growth of 1 year. Rationale Learning Content is prioritized to reflect ELA Shifts 1,3,4 & 6. Writing will be assessed as local assessment. Targets:Results from 1 st grade STAR end of year assessments suggest 82 % of students are proficient. Sept 2012 results suggest 77 % proficiency (possible “summer slide”) District assessment results suggest 80 % grade level proficiency in reading and a bit lower in writing (72%). An 85% proficiency goal seems reasonable, as it is above results from previous year and fall pre-assessment. If a true growth goal is set, a more challenging 90% is reasonable, because difference in student starting points are considered.

State Determines SLO process Identifies required elements Requires use of State test Provides training to NTs prior to Provides guidance, webinars & videos SLOs District District goals & priorities Match requirements to teachers Define processes for before & after Identify expectations School LE & teacher collaborate LE approval Ensure security LE monitor & evaluation Teacher Works with colleagues & LE

The STATE determines the following: o The overall SLO framework. o Which teachers must set SLOs and which teachers must have State-provided growth measures. o Which assessments must be used, and which are allowable options. o Requirements around scoring: The scoring ranges and categories. Rules for scoring SLOs that include a State- provided growth measure. Rules for scoring multiple SLOs.

Three types of teachers: 13

STATE Rules - How many SLOs and what assessments to use. o SLOs must cover largest courses taught until ≥50% of students are included in a teacher’s SLOs.

STATE Rules - How many SLOs and what assessments to use. o Teachers with multiple sections of the same course must create 1 SLO to cover all of these sections when the same final assessment is used.

STATE Rules - How many SLOs and what assessments to use. o School-or-BOCES wide, group or team SLO based on State assessment growth may substitute or supplement except for any teachers of 6-8 science and social studies and any grade/subject that culminates in a State assessment. o Examples might include assessing art teacher on team or school ELA scores because of integrated literacy instruction, or assessing reading teacher on grade level ELA scores.

STATE Rules - How many SLOs and what assessments to use. o If a State assessment exists for any of the courses required to be included in the SLO, but there is no State-provided growth measure for that assessment, the State assessment must be used as evidence for the SLO. o Examples include Regents courses and 8 th grade science.

LevelScoreDescription Highly Effective 18-20Results are well-above state average for similar students (or district goals if no state test). Effective9-17 Results meet state average for similar students (or district goals if no state test). Developing3-8 Results are below state average for similar students (or district goals if no state test). Ineffective0-2Results are well-below state average for similar students (or district goals if no state test). STATE Rules – HEDI Scoring Ranges

DISTRICTS determine the following: o Identify priorities. o Establish which decisions are made at the District level versus in schools by principals, and/or principals with teachers. o Create District-wide processes for setting, reviewing, and assessing SLOs in schools. o Set expectations for HEDI scoring of SLOs. o Create processes to ensure that any assessments are not scored by teachers and principals with a vested interest in the outcome of the assessment they score, and address assessment security issues.

SCHOOLS determine the following: o Make choices as needed when District leaves flexibility to schools. o Ensure that lead evaluator approves each teacher’s goals and monitors/assesses results. o Ensure all assessments are secure and that any assessments, including those used as evidence for SLOs, are not scored by teachers and principals with a vested interest in the outcome of the assessments they score.

TEACHERS engage with SLOs in the following ways: o Obtain all possible data on students to best inform baseline, starting level of student learning. o Propose, in consultation with lead evaluator, SLOs and targets based on District and school requirements. o Select instructional strategies & materials to lead students to SLO targets. o Assess students (may engage in a regional or other distributed scoring process). o Reflect on student learning results and consider implications for future practice.

NYSED SLO Framework All SLOs MUST include the following basic components: Student PopulationWhich students are being addressed? Learning Content What is being taught? CCSS/National/State standards? Will this goal apply to all standards applicable to a course or just to specific priority standards? Interval of Instructional Time What is the instructional period covered (if not a year, rationale for semester/quarter/etc)? Evidence What assessment(s) or student work product(s) will be used to measure this goal? Baseline What is the starting level of learning for students covered by this SLO? Target(s) What is the expected outcome (target) by the end of the instructional period? HEDI Criteria How will evaluators determine what range of student performance “meets” the goal (effective) versus “well-below” (ineffective), “below” (developing), and “well-above” (highly effective)? RationaleWhy choose this learning content, evidence and target? 26

SLO Elements: Student Population, Learning Content & Interval Student Population: Specify your assigned students who are included in this SLO along with the course sections and student names and/or identification numbers. (Full class rosters of all students must be provided for all included course sections.) Learning Content: CCLS/National/State standards. Prioritizing is acceptable/ encouraged. Interval of Instructional Time: Usually 1 year, but may be semester or quarter

SLO Elements: Evidence (Assessments) Districts will need to review the assessments currently in place in all subject areas and all grade levels, and make decisions about needed assessments. Assessments should provide useful feedback to teachers about overall instruction and individual student needs.

Evidence – Considerations How aligned and authentic are the assessment items to the learning content? How valid and reliable are the assessments? Are the selected assessments from an approved list of allowable options? (district, BOCES, approved 3 rd party) Can they be verified by the Superintendent as comparable and rigorous? What, if any, administration accommodations must legally be made for students? How are the assessments scored in terms of point values assigned per item and method of summarizing scores? Have procedures been established to ensure that assessments are secure and that those with vested interest do not score students’ assessments? 29

NYSED SLO Elements All SLOs MUST include the following basic components: Student PopulationWhich students are being addressed? Learning Content What is being taught? CCSS/National/State standards? Will this goal apply to all standards applicable to a course or just to specific priority standards? Interval of Instructional Time What is the instructional period covered (if not a year, rationale for semester/quarter/etc)? Evidence What assessment(s) or student work product(s) will be used to measure this goal? Baseline What is the starting level of learning for students covered by this SLO? Target(s) What is the expected outcome (target) by the end of the instructional period? HEDI Criteria How will evaluators determine what range of student performance “meets” the goal (effective) versus “well-below” (ineffective), “below” (developing), and “well-above” (highly effective)? RationaleWhy choose this learning content, evidence and target? 35

SLO Elements: Baseline, and Target(s) 36 Baseline: Describe how students performed on the identified pre-assessment(s) for the learning content. (Actual baseline scores for each student are required.) Target(s): Define numerical growth goals for student performance on identified summative assessment(s) which measure student knowledge and skill in the learning content. (Actual final scores for each student are required.)

SLO Elements:HEDI Scoring 38 Population Three sections of ELA 9, heterogeneously grouped, 70 students. Learning Content Read and comprehend complex literary and information texts independently and proficiently. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. Interval school year. Evidence Baseline assessment: 8 th Grade ELA results. Common writing prompt: Students provide an objective summary of Frederick Douglass’s Narrative. They analyze how the central idea regarding the evils of slavery is conveyed through supporting ideas and developed over the course of the text. Summative assessment: Ten reading comprehension questions based on the selection rom Things Fall Apart. Ten reading comprehension questions based on Quindlen, Anna. “A Quilt of a Country.” Newsweek September 27, Students determine the purpose and point of view in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, “I Have a Dream” speech and analyze how King uses rhetoric to advance his position (in writing). Baseline On last year’s ELA 8: 4% scored 1; 18% scored 2; 67% scored 3, 11% scored 4. On the four-point district-wide writing rubric: 15% scored 1; 40% scored 2; 30% scored 3, 15% scored 4. Target(s) and HEDI scoring Eighty percent of all students will score 55 points or higher on the summative assessment (out of a possible 64 points) % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % <30% <30% Rationale The summative score is calculated by adding twice of the number of comprehension questions answered correctly with the total score on the district-wide writing rubric (which has 6 elements on a scale which translates to a maximum 24 points).

SLO Elements: Rationale Describe how the learning content, targets and evidence were selected and how they will be used together to prepare students for future coursework and “college & career readiness.” Rationales should explain how targets were chosen using baseline data. Rationale may also explain prioritization of learning content.

Why are SLOs so important? SLOs are the GLUE that connect  Standards (Learning Content) with  Using Data to Enhance Teaching and Learning with  Professional Practice

Additional Resources Cheryl Covell – TST BOCES Data Analyst Heather Sheridan-Thomas – TST BOCES Assistant Superintendent

Prioritized Standards: CCLS ELA 2 nd Grade Phonics and Word Recognition RF.2.3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. – Distinguish long and short vowels when reading regularly spelled one-syllable words. – Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams. – Decode regularly spelled two-syllable words with long vowels. – Decode words with common prefixes and suffixes. – Identify words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences. – Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words. Fluency RF.2.4. Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. – Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding. – Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression. – Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.

Prioritized Standards: CCLS ELA 2 nd Grade Key Ideas and Details – RI.2.1. Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text. – RI.2.2. Identify the main topic of a multiparagraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within the text. Craft and Structure – RI.2.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 2 topic or subject area. – RI.2.6. Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe. – RI.2.8. Describe how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text. Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity – RI By the end of year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, in the grades 2–3 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

Prioritized Standards: CCLS ELA 2 nd Grade Vocabulary Acquisition and Use L.2.4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 2 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies. – Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. – Determine the meaning of the new word formed when a known prefix is added to a known word (e.g., happy/unhappy, tell/retell). – Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown word with the same root (e.g., addition, additional). – Use knowledge of the meaning of individual words to predict the meaning of compound words (e.g., birdhouse, lighthouse, housefly; bookshelf, notebook, bookmark). – Use glossaries and beginning dictionaries, both print and digital, to determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases.