Iowa’s Statewide Approach to Performance Evaluation & Compensation Judy Jeffrey, Director

Iowa’s Approach to Evaluation, Professional Development, & Compensation The Iowa Context Infrastructure in place Intent of the Legislation The Iowa Student Achievement and Teacher Quality Program Components that provide support and accountability Cross-walk of essential elements Going to scale state-wide Lessons learned Next steps

The Iowa Context Infrastructure Well functioning Area Education Agencies (AEAs) Strong pre-service programs State initiatives in content already underway Cooperative atmosphere between teacher unions, administrator organizations, DE, and AEAs

The Iowa Context Iowa Student Achievement and Teacher Quality Program (2001) Establishes structure for Mentoring and Induction, Professional Development, Evaluation, and Career Levels

Intent of the Iowa Legislation To create a student achievement and teacher quality program that acknowledges that outstanding teachers are a key component in student success. Senate File 476

The program's goals are to: enhance student achievement and to redesign compensation strategies and teachers' professional development. Senate File 476

Teacher Quality Program Supports: are designed to increase student achievement by increasing teacher quality offer teachers opportunities to improve their instructional practices attract and retain high performing teachers reward teachers for improving their skills and knowledge in a manner that translates into better student learning establish increased accountability for quality teaching build on already existing supports

Standards in Iowa Code: Criteria established by stakeholder group and adopted by State Board Provide a set of knowledge and skills that reflects the best evidence available regarding effective teaching. Provide teachers and administrators consistent criteria for determining what constitutes effective teaching in Iowa schools. Foster ongoing dialogue about effective practices. Teachers and the evaluator use the standards and criteria for determining what evidence to collect for the comprehensive evaluation for beginning teachers and the performance reviews for career teachers. Iowa Teaching Iowa Teaching Standards

Eight Iowa Teaching Standards 1.Demonstrates ability to enhance academic performance and support for implementation of the school districts’ student achievement goals. 2.Demonstrates competence in content knowledge appropriate to the teaching position. 3.Demonstrates competence in planning and preparing for instruction. Senate File 476

4.Uses strategies to deliver instruction that meets the multiple learning needs of students. 5.Uses a variety of methods to monitor student learning. 6.Demonstrates competence in classroom management. 7.Engages in professional growth. 8.Fulfills professional responsibilities established by the school district. Senate File 476

Beginning Teachers Salary minimum Initial License (2 year) Evaluation (Comprehensive Evaluation) Must meet teaching standards Evaluation determines eligibility for standard license

Mentoring and Induction Provided for all 1st and 2nd year beginning teachers Funds are appropriated for districts/AEAs based on the number of 1 st and 2 nd year teachers ($1,300 per mentee) AEAs provide technical assistance and training for mentors A model plan has been developed to assist districts in their work

Mentoring and Induction 4 th year of program – 100% of districts have a mentoring plan At the end of the 2 nd year the beginning teacher’s evaluator makes a decision to move the teacher from an initial license to a standard license A 3 rd year of mentoring is available to beginning teacher who needs additional assistance to move to a standard license. The district must pay for the program. (Title II)

Career Teachers Salary Evaluation (Performance Reviews) Classroom observation Implementation of individual career plan Documentation from other evaluators, peers, students, parents Not meeting Iowa Teaching Standards Intensive Assistance 5 th year in career level ineligible for pay increases

Professional Development Iowa Professional Development Model District Career Development Plans Iowa Content Networks Individual Teacher Career Development Plans

Key Elements of the Model Focus on curriculum and instruction Study of implementation All site personnel Specific student learning goals Intensive professional development Collaboration Ongoing follow-up, support, & technical assistance Formative and summative evaluation Focus on curriculum and instruction Study of implementation All site personnel Specific student learning goals Intensive professional development Collaboration Ongoing follow-up, support, & technical assistance Formative and summative evaluation

Iowa Professional Development Standards District Career Development Plans address: Iowa Teaching Standards Research-based instructional strategies District student achievement goals Training and learning opportunities that target instruction and design that includes: Theory, demonstration, practice, observation Collaboration and study of implementation Integration of instructional technology Evaluation (instructional practice & student learning) All staff responsible for instruction

Individual Teacher Career Development Plan Based on Iowa Teaching Standards and district/building student achievement goals Annual meeting with teacher and evaluator to review goal(s) and refine plan Individual Plans should be a direct fit with District Career Development Plans Based on Iowa Teaching Standards and district/building student achievement goals Annual meeting with teacher and evaluator to review goal(s) and refine plan Individual Plans should be a direct fit with District Career Development Plans

Professional Development Resources Iowa Content Networks Source for reviews of research studies for use by local districts Iowa PD Model Training Materials Set of print resources for local districts Case studies of Iowa Districts e/tqt/tc/prodev.html

Content Network About This ProjectAbout This Project Selecting Content Definitions Upcoming Additions How to Get Studies HelpSelecting ContentDefinitionsUpcoming AdditionsHow to Get StudiesHelp What you will find on the Content Network website is an initial organization of research in the areas of reading, mathematics, and science.

Search Path: State of Iowa > Educate > Teacher Quality > Professional Development > Content NetworkState of IowaEducateTeacher QualityProfessional Development Updated Search Path: State of Iowa > Educate > Teacher Quality > Professional Development > Content NetworkState of IowaEducateTeacher QualityProfessional Development Updated The Research Continuum The Content Network Teams reviewed the research articles based on a continuum that measured the research according to specific criteria.

Evaluation System Evaluation processes locally driven Evaluations are required at the end of year two for beginning teachers and every three years for career level teachers Includes an intensive assistance component Statewide adoption of standards and criteria for teachers Uniform summative evaluation tool for beginning teachers

Preparing Evaluators Extensive evaluator training provided $1,000 awarded for completion of training The Evaluator Training process developed skills in the following areas: Support for Teaching Standards Data Collection Skills Feedback Techniques Data-driven Leadership

Evaluator Training Process: Train administrators to make license recommendations at the end of a 2 year induction program. Integrates with district career development planning efforts. Is an interagency effort. Higher education programs are certified to provide training.

Going to Scale DE provided: State-wide capacity building efforts to support PD, MI and Evaluation Rules/procedures to create structures and accountability for PD, MI, & Evaluation Models of quality professional development in Reading and Math (Science to be added)

Legislative Proposal 2007 Revamp Career II/Advanced Focus on strengths of professional development Establish Regional Academies Establish “teacher leaders” Establish Administrator Quality Program Mentoring/Induction Iowa Leadership Standards Evaluation Professional Development

Implementation Timeline Districts volunteered to implement – over 95% Mentoring and Induction Salary increases for beginning and career teachers (year 3) Team-based variable pay pilots implemented Content networks formed

Implementation Timeline… All districts implementing 10 days of training for evaluators Stakeholder group develops Iowa professional development model Content networks release initial information Team-based variable pay evaluation

Implementation Timeline… Salary increases $24,500 (1 st & 2 nd year teachers) $25,500 (3 rd year teachers) $26,000 (4 th year teachers) TBVP Pilot continues School districts implement district career plans as approved in their Comprehensive School Improvement Plan Regional Academies implemented/ summer ’05 Addition of equivalent of 1 PD day to teacher contracts

Evaluation TBVP pilots did not reveal any conclusive results Mentoring and Induction are viewed as a retention factor and supportive of new teachers Salary rankings in US have not improved (budget shortfalls, etc. have not provided additional increases as expected) Comprehensive evaluation of program due in 2007

Professional Development Evaluation Examining District PD Plans Iowa Teacher Development Academies Studying teacher implementation and student results Preliminary input shows students are responding to changes in instruction

When Quality PD is provided positive things happen… Kids are excited about the books from which they can choose. Kids like coming to this class! A student who refused to pick a book to read, so I picked for him, hated the book, dislikes reading, told me last Friday, “Hey, this is really a good book!” I’m surprised about the number of my students who have finished books and gone on to the second or third. Also, the smiles on their faces when they proudly show me how much they have read. Several students have said they are really happy they can read their book.

04-05 Costs $1,300 per new teacher for 2 years = $4.2M One day of PD = $10M District allocation for teacher salaries = $46.3M Department costs for staffing, technical assistance = state funds $400,000 and is supplemented with federal funds

For Additional Information ese/tqt/tc/index.html