Governor Christie’s Educator Effectiveness Task Force Report March 1, 2011

1 Educator effectiveness is the most important in-school factor for improving student achievement. “ Having a top-quartile teacher rather than a bottom-quartile teacher four years in a row could be enough to close the black-white test score gap.” Gordon, Kane and Staiger, 2006  “ The effect of increases in teacher quality swamps the impact of any other educational investment, such as reductions in class size.” Goldhaber, 2009 Research

2  Achievement gap and global rankings  “The Widget Effect” and other research  From teaching to learning environment  “Race to the Top” and focus on educator effectiveness  Governor’s Executive Order No. 42 Contextual Background

3  9 members  Design a framework to measure teacher and leader effectiveness, based on two parameters: – multiple measures of student achievement that represent at least 50% of the teacher/school leader evaluation – practices of effective teachers and school leaders that comprise the remaining basis for such evaluations Executive Order No. 42

4  High-quality evaluation systems will enable districts and the state to: improve personnel decisions  awarding of tenure  setting of compensation levels identify and address professional development needs  and therefore drive significant improvements in student learning. Governor Christie’s Education Reform Plan

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6  The framework must include: – Definition of an effective teacher/leader (clear standards that describe the characteristics of effective and ineffective teaching) – What measures should be used to evaluate effectiveness – What components and tools are needed to conduct the evaluations (e.g., rubrics, student surveys, documentation logs, etc.) – What activities are needed to support the implementation of the evaluation system (e.g., training, professional development, development of multiple assessments, student growth data) Task Force Goals

7  #1: The needs of students are paramount  public education is society’s means of ensuring that all children have the chance to reach their full potential and lead healthy, productive, and satisfying lives  when the interests of adults and children don’t align it is our duty to side with the latter Task Force Guiding Principles

8  #2: All children can achieve at the highest levels  a child’s neighborhood, race, and family income do not have to determine destiny  the purpose of public education is to lead all students to high levels of achievement no matter where they begin Task Force Guiding Principles

9  #3: Educators have the power to inspire, engage, and broaden the life opportunities of students  they must be equipped with the right skills, knowledge, and dispositions and given the proper supports  They must be held accountable for their students’ learning Task Force Guiding Principles

10  A high-quality evaluation system assesses the effectiveness of educators and differentiates between those excelling and those struggling.  A strong evaluation system helps educators become more effective:  Clear expectations  Meaningful feedback  Facilitate collaboration  Linked to professional development Purpose of an Educator Evaluation System

11 Multiple measures, rigorous, standardized, flexible  The NJ Commissioner should develop a list of approved observation protocols and measurement tools.  Districts may submit for approval measurement tools that have not yet been accepted by the state. Requirements:  standards-based  rigorous  valid and reliable Task Force Recommendations: Essential Features

12 Summative Rating Categories  Four summative categories:  Highly Effective  Effective  Partially Effective  Ineffective Task Force Recommendations: Essential Features

13 Recommended Framework for the New Teacher Evaluation System Task Force Recommendations

14 Measures of Teacher Practice: 50%  Use the new national core standards (INTASC) as the basis for teacher evaluations.  Use state-approved measurement tools to collect and review evidence:  One classroom observation protocol: 25%-48%  At least one additional tool to assess teacher practice: 2.5%-25% Task Force Recommendations: Evaluation of Teachers

15 Measures of Student Achievement: 50% Direct measures of student achievement as demonstrated by assessments and other evaluations of student work.  Use measures of student growth--they account for a teacher’s contribution to his/her students’ progress  give credit for progress made during the school year  Include pre- and post-tests  NJ capacity to provide growth scores:  generate growth scores in fall 2011  tie growth scores to teachers by fall 2012  only LA and math statewide assessments in grades 3-8, 11  Task Force recommends the state approve assessments or performance tasks that generate growth scores in all subjects and grades. Task Force Recommendations: Evaluation of Teachers

16 Measures of Student Achievement: 50%  Two required components:  students’ growth on state-approved assessments or performance-based evaluations: 35% - 45%  state-approved schoolwide performance measure: 5% - aggregation of all students’ growth - a school- specific goal based on an area of need (e.g., graduation rates, promotion rates, college matriculation rates)  One optional measure of performance: 0%-10% - nationally normed tests, supplemental assessments, end of course tests Task Force Recommendations: Evaluation of Teachers

17 Measures of Student Achievement: 50% Task Force Recommendations: Evaluation of Teachers

18  Measures of effective practice based on ISLLC: 40%  Differential retention of effective teachers (hiring and retaining effective teachers and exiting poor performers): 10%  Measures of student achievement: 50% Task Force Recommendations: Evaluation of Principals

19 Measures of Leadership Practice: 40%  Standards: Adopt the updated Educational Leadership Policy Standards (ISLLC 2008) as the basis for principal evaluations.  Performance indicators: Commissioner should develop or adopt statewide performance indicators to establish clear and consistent expectations for all principals. (Performance indicators describe the types of performance that will occur if a standard is being met successfully.)  Evidence of Performance: include multiple data sources for gathering evidence of performance.  Evaluation Tools Task Force Recommendations: Evaluation of Principals

20 Measures of Leadership Practice: 40%  Districts should be able to choose the data sources and tools they wish to use from a list of state-approved rubrics, templates, and tools.  Develop a waiver process for districts to submit locally developed tools for approval. Task Force Recommendations: Evaluation of Principals

21 Differential Retention of Effective Teachers: 10%  The principal’s success in building and maintaining a high-quality faculty is critical to school success.  Indices used to measure differential retention:  Principal’s effectiveness in improving teacher effectiveness (growth of teachers’ ratings)  Principal’s effectiveness in recruiting and retaining effective teachers  Principal’s effectiveness in exiting ineffective teachers  Note: principals can only be judged against this measure if they are given a clear role in teacher hiring, organizing professional development, dismissing ineffective teachers. Task Force Recommendations: Evaluation of Principals

22 Measures of Student Achievement: 50%  A principal’s evaluation should be based substantially on empirical measures of student learning.  Two different measures of achievement that should be included in the principal’s evaluation:  aggregated student growth: 35%  “school-specific goals:” 15%  An area of need identified by the school or district Task Force Recommendations: Evaluation of Principals

23 Measures of Student Achievement: 50%  Examples of “School-specific goals:”  High school graduation rate increase  Promotion rates from 9th to 10 grade  College matriculation rate increase  Proficiency level increases for an underserved subgroup  Advanced level increases for the school or subgroups  Student attainment level or proficiency increase on nationally normed or supplemental assessments [e.g., Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), Stanford 9, International Baccalaureate, APA, SAT, ACT, early childhood] Task Force Recommendations: Evaluation of Principals

24 Measures of Student Achievement Task Force Recommendations: Evaluation of Principals

25  The conditions for success will lay the foundation and build the support structure for this new system.  Engaging teachers and principals  Training observers and educators  Supporting educators in their mastery of their craft  Developing high-quality data systems  Developing high-quality assessments  Reconsidering Priorities  Developing additional observers  Continuous improvement  Increased principal autonomy  Teachers of special populations  Superintendent evaluation  Evaluations for all  Continuously monitoring the system’s effects Task Force Recommendations: Conditions for Success

26  Next Steps  1. Solicit feedback from the State Board of Education and other education experts and stakeholders  2. Further study of appropriate performance measures for teachers of special populations and non-tested subjects and grades  3. Develop recommendations for implementing the new evaluation system, including the possible use of pilots Task Force Recommendations: Next Steps

27  Questions and comments??? Task Force Recommendations