Student Growth Objectives Unifying Standards, Instruction, and Assessment to Improve Student Learning June 4 2014

Agenda Introduction to SGOs Successes and Challenges in Year One Working with Educators to Improve the SGO Process Reflections from Educators 2

Understanding Student Growth Objectives Practice Student Achievement Teacher Practice Student Growth Objective (SGO) Student Growth Percentile (SGP) Summative Rating Eligible Teachers All Teachers

Requirements for Student Achievement Measures TEACHNJ Act The standards for approval of educator evaluation rubrics at a minimum shall include: a provision ensuring that performance measures used in the rubric are linked to student achievement. A Student Growth Objective is an academic goal that teachers and evaluators set for groups of students. It shall be specific and measurable, based on available student learning data, aligned to Core Curriculum Content Standards (or other standards adopted or endorsed by the State Board), and based on growth and/or achievement.

Student Growth Objectives What Why Who How Specific and measurable Ambitious and achievable Include a significant proportion of students and curriculum Assessments aligned to learning goals SGOs are long-term learning goals set by teachers for groups of students and approved by each teacher’s supervisor

Student Growth Objectives What Why Who How Provide a useful and transparent student-achievement performance measure for every teacher Promote reflective and collaborative teaching practice Are flexible and can be used in any teaching circumstance Promote alignment of standards, instruction and assessment Standards Instruction Assessment SGO What, Why, How Many, Weighting… Challenges and Ops

All teachers set SGOs: 15% of summative rating Student Growth Objectives What Why Who How All teachers set SGOs: 15% of summative rating Teachers without an SGP set two SGOs Teachers with an SGP set one or two SGOs What, Why, How Many, Weighting… Challenges and Ops Teacher Practice Teacher Practice Student Growth Objectives Student Growth Percentile Student Growth Objectives

Student Growth Objectives What Why Who How Administrator-supported Provide a supportive and collaborative environment Assess quality and provide approval and final score of SGOs Teacher-driven Identify critical standards and develop assessments Use appropriate data to set ambitious and achievable targets Monitor performance and adjust instruction as needed Student-centered What should my students learn by when? How will I ensure they learn it? How will I know they have learned it? Goal setting works when it is internally driven and yields a sense of autonomy rather than when imposed from outside. Principals are responsible for ensuring SGOs are rigorous but should guide teachers to take ownership of the process. Link to principal evaluation leadership rubric 2d. (2d - Makes certain all teachers create rigorous, curriculum-aligned SGOs with specified methods of assessing achievement of goals. Ensures SGOs are recorded, monitored, and assessed accurately while enabling real-time learning from pursuit of objectives.)

Adjustments to SGOs can be made with approval Student Growth Objectives What Why Who How Step 1 Choose or develop a quality assessment aligned to the standards Step 2 Determine students’ starting points Step 3 Set ambitious and achievable SGOs with the approval of the supervisor Step 4 Track progress, refine instruction Step 5 Review results and score in consultation with the supervisor Step 2 Step 4 September By Oct. 31* By Feb. 15 By end of school year What, Why, How Many, Weighting… Challenges and Ops Step 1 Step 3 Step 5 Adjustments to SGOs can be made with approval *proposed date

Example 1 1st- grade reading Student Growth Objective At least 70% of first grade students, based on their initial reading level, will reach or exceed an appropriate reading level by the end of the instructional period as measured by the DRA. Preparedness Group Number of Students in Each Group Target Level on Post-Assessment Number of Students Required for “Full Attainment” Low 5 4 3 Medium 13 14-16 10 High 6 18-20 The following SGO excerpts were developed in collaboration with practicing teachers.

Example 2 5th-grade ELL–writing Student Growth Objective 75% of students will increase 1 English Language Proficiency (ELP) level in a number of writing performance criteria at rates appropriate for their current ELP level (1 & 2 or 3 & 4) and as shown in the table below. ELP Level Number of Students in Each Group Target Score Number of Students Required for “Full Attainment” 1 & 2 4 Increase 1 ELP level in 3 performance criteria 3 3 & 4 12 Increase 1 ELP level in 2 performance criteria 8-9

Example 3 9th-grade Physics Student Growth Objective At least 70% (45/65) of my students will attain a score as described in the scoring plan and set according to their preparedness level. Scoring Plan Preparedness Group Target Score on Assessment Objective Attainment Level Exceptional (4) Full (3) Partial (2) Insufficient (1) Low 70 >85% students ≥70% students ≥55% students <55% students Medium 80 High 90

Successes and Challenges in Year 1 All teachers were engaged in the process of thoughtful goal setting. All teachers set learning goals for their students based on academic standards. Approximately half of other educators e.g. counselors, librarians, etc. also set goals related to their work. Challenges Creating learning goals was an entirely new concept for many educators. Low assessment quality and over-reliance on pre-assessments when determining starting points and setting learning goals. Often an administrator-driven compliance exercise.

Educators have asked for: The Office of Evaluation is providing: Moving into Year 2 Educators have asked for: The Office of Evaluation is providing: Guidance on developing high quality assessments SGO 2.0 workshops and updated guidance materials Training for DOE staff and PD providers Guidance on goal setting using multiple measures of starting points More examples of good SGOs Expanded SGO library using SGOs created by educators

Coaching, Communication, and Collaboration Five workshop series over past 12 months attended by over 3 000 educators ~350 districts directly touched by workshops and/or implementation team Rich and numerous website resources including a guidebook, instructional modules, examples, and forms Collaboration with educators to develop Specific SGO guidance for groups of educators including ESL, special education, CTE, educational services SGO examples for different grades and subjects Workshop materials for improving assessment quality and goal setting

SGO 2.0: From Compliance to Quality May-June – 27 sessions, 9 locations Summer/Fall - TBD SGO 2.0: From Compliance to Quality Increasing SGO Quality through Better Assessments and Target Setting

Reflections from Educators Kelly Harmon – ELA, Monmouth County Vocational School District Jenna Scott – Social Studies, Clearview Regional High School Kawania Moore – 4th-grade, Roselle Public Schools Pat Handley – ELA, Clearview Regional High School How has the SGO process affected your teaching practice and student learning? What have been some of the challenges of the SGO process? Moving into year 2, how do you see the SGO process evolving?

Find out more: www.nj.gov/education/AchieveNJ educatorevaluation@doe.state.nj.us 609-777-3788