1. The Classroom Analyst & Using Growth Models
Heather Tauer-Reid & Val Vogt
Education Resource Group, Inc. 21 Waterway Avenue, Suite 300 The Woodlands TX 77380
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2. Performance Management Functions
The “Heart and Soul” of Performance Management
How well is your organization doing?
Where are improvements necessary?
Who are the models of high performance?
Are your improvement strategies working?
The greatest challenge to performance improvement is the difficulty that organizations have in seeing themselves as they really are.
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3. The Campus Analyst – The Purpose
Understand and analyze performance of the basic business unit in public education
To provide a framework for measuring relative performance
To evaluate the effectiveness of campus leaders
To set and monitor performance goals
All of the learning and most of the costs are at the campuses. We need to understand performance there in great detail.
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4. ERG Performance Management System
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5. A Level Playing Field - Academic Performance Index
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6. Mesquite ISD Performance Matrix
Lets explain the axis. Y is the staff ratio adjusted for campus size. X is the academic index based on met standard and commended for ES and MS and all 5 measures for high schools adjusted for demographics.
Within any district there are wide variations in performance.
Exercise 3 (4 groups, describe status of schools I your quadrant
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7. Elementary School Performance Matrix
Lets explain the axis. Y is the staff ratio adjusted for campus size. X is the academic index based on met standard and commended for ES and MS and all 5 measures for high schools adjusted for demographics.
Within any district there are wide variations in performance.
Exercise 3 (4 groups, describe status of schools I your quadrant
What can we say about the performance of this ES?
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8. Activity I
Login to the Campus Analyst and choose the “Campus Sample Group”.
Look at the “square” that your campus is in and describe the meaning of your campus’ position within the Matrix.
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9. Elementary School Performance Matrix
Now we see the year-to-year change in the major performance indices. What else have we learned about this campuses’ performance?
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10. Activity II
Using your campus’ data and the Performance Table to the right of the Matrix, complete the following:
1. Did your EPI move up or down? How much did it change?
2. Did your API move up or down? How much did it change?
3. Did your SPI move up or down? How much did it change?
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11. Longitudinal Charts
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12. Activity III
Click on the Longitudinal Icon next to your Campus’ API. Using your campus’ API Longitudinal data and the three charts,
What do the 3 charts tell you about how your campus been trending?
What do you believe are the factors contributing to that trend?
HOMEWORK
Use the Profile menu option to the left of the screen to view all subject areas (will be found near the bottom of the profile screen. Use the Longitudinals to investigate how each content area contributed to your campus’ overall performance.
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13. Campus Ranking Tables
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14. Activity IV
Using your campus’ data and the Ranking Table to the right of the Matrix, complete the following:
1. What is your API Rank? Which campus is immediately above you?
2. What is your SPI Rank? Which campus is immediately above you?
3. Do these agree with what you expected? Were there any surprises?
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15. Classroom Focus 15 Now let’s drill down to the classroom level. 15
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16. Importance of Measuring Classroom Performance
There is no correlation between academic achievement measures and teacher experience
We do not have a measure to determine improvement of teacher performance
We cannot afford to continue this level of performance
If we had a measure, perhaps this relationship would change
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17. The Problem with Growth Measures and Hurdle Rates
When measuring the year-to-year growth in student performance, the problem with using the Met Standard and Commended Performance hurdle levels is even more acute. Using the example of 7th grade Mathematics, student “A” can gain 1 point in achievement (e.g. from 27 correct to 28 correct) and go from not meeting standard to met standard and the overall pass rate percentage for the campus and district will rise. Student “B” can improve by 15 points (e.g. from 28 correct to 43 correct) and not change the achievement level of the student, campus, or district. Clearly, student “B” shows more growth in achievement than student “A”, but that growth differential is not only hidden by using only hurdle levels of performance, but is actually misleading since the campus with student “A” will appear to improve in achievement while the campus with student “B” will appear to be stagnant.
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18. How to Compare Performance
Year to Year
Same Grade – e.g. 5th grade 2011 to 5th grade in 2012
Student mix may change
Same Students – e.g. 5th grade in 2011 to 6th grade in 2012
Better metric for measuring classroom effectiveness
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19. Explaining Growth in Learning The Learning Growth Index (LGI)

20. Frequency Curve of Test Scores
Student Result
Test # 1
Student Result
Test #2
LGI
Simple frequency distribution of test scores on any test. Every student has a z-score just like they have a raw and scale score.
Test scores are distributed in a population (say 5th grade math takers in English) by frequency according to a performance measure which can be raw score or scale score. To make the performance values useful, we utilize a Z-score of NCE which allows us to compare the performance of this population on another measurement instrument.
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21. Activity V Z-Score Exercise Break into Groups
Discuss the concept of Z-Score as a measurement tool
What can you gain from creating an “Expected Value”
Give an example of how you might use z-scores outside of the classroom.
Break into groups (4?) discuss the concept of z-score as a measurement tool
What can you gain from creating an expected value?
Give an example of how you might use z-score outside of the classroom

22. What Can We Learn? Change in mean score
Lower – test was harder relative to previous
Change in standard deviation
Did the group cluster more (similar achievement level) or distribute more (dissimilar achievement)
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23. What are the Basic Measurements? – Defining Terms
Education Performance Index
EPI
Overall grade
1. Student Achievement
SAI
Scale Score on
a standardized test
2. Student Growth
LGI
Year-to-year change
in Z-score
3. Teacher Achievement
TAI
Average of student LGIs.
Measure of classroom
achievement
4. Teacher Growth TGI
Year-to-year
change in TAI
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Page 23 23

24. Measuring Growth and Achievement
High Achievement
&
Low Growth
Low Achievement
&
Low Growth
High Achievement
&
High Growth
Low Achievement
&
High Growth
How do we take these basic measurements and make them useful for leadership.
A table of numbers is not effective.
This view shows performance of your campus within a district for all tests taken.
The red dot is the campus’ weighted average. Each of the green dots represents a grade level for all tests taken.
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25. Using ERG Effectively
ERG is not the sole method for personnel evaluation.
Protect morale by making decisions based on your mission.
Establish the “purpose” of ERG.
Conduct autopsies without blame.
Confront the brutal facts.
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26. Final Thoughts!!
ERG is a tool NOT another program. It tells the story of what is really going on – all the way down to the classroom level.
Many tools reveal performance data, ERG reveals dynamic movement of students’ learning. Which teachers “grow” students the most, i.e. which resources are being deployed successfully for the most benefit.
ERG helps to set CAMPUS GOALS that are based on a total picture. How a campus achieves those goals is up to the principals’ leadership.
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27. Measuring Growth and Achievement
Campus Weighted Average
Selected Detail level:
Grade Level
Subject
Teacher
How do we take these basic measurements and make them useful for leadership.
A table of numbers is not effective.
This view shows performance of your campus within a district for all tests taken.
The red dot is the campus’ weighted average. Each of the green dots represents a grade level for all tests taken.
Copyright © Education Resource Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Patent Pending

28. What is Next?

29. Let’s Look at Smith Elementary
While Ms. Adams students had low achievement, they were greatly improved from the prior year. In looking at her students’ results, it was easy to see they were on a trajectory for success in the coming year. What could the principal do with this information?
Low Growth/
High Achievement
Low Growth/
Low Achievement
Mr. Atkins is a top teacher; his students have high growth and high achievement. What could the principal do with this information?
High Growth/
High Achievement
High Growth/
Low Achievement
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30. Mr. Atkins
Mr. Atkins had a class of traditionally average students. In examining the reports from ERG, the principal found that his students were strong across the board in all of the sixth grade math Student Expectations. The principal asked Mr. Atkins what his key strategies were.
Rather than start class by taking roll, Mr. Atkins had students immediately do a “warm-up” activity of previously taught skills. Mr. Atkins had designed these himself to ensure that they covered the S.E.’s. He used the Information Guide from TEA to design his questions. He had also developed his own calendar to make sure that each S.E. was regularly reviewed.
Mr. Atkins had a study group for students during homeroom. He worked with his fellow teachers to allow the students to come in and work on skills they had difficulty with.
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31. Ms. Adams
The new principal also interviewed Ms. Adams. She found that Ms. Adams had a disproportionate number of At-Risk students in her room, and yet had done an outstanding job in helping them improve. Like Mr. Atkins, Ms. Adams had a routine for review and reinforcement of skills and was very knowledgeable about the TAKS (soon to be STAAR) Information Booklets. The new principal was concerned that, in reviewing PDAS, Ms. Adams was ranked in the lower quartile in the building in Domains III and VIII.
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32. ERG Provides Specific Measures of “Output”
PDAS
Active, Successful Student Participation in the Learning Process 
Learner-centered Instruction 
Evaluation and feedback on Student Progress 
Management of Student Discipline, Instructional Strategies, Time/Materials 
Professional Communication 
Professional Development 
Compliance with Policies, Operating Procedures and Requirements  
Improvement of All Students' Academic Performance 
ERG Provides Specific Measures of “Output”
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33. PDAS Comparison Mrs. Iron’s Domain III Ms. Adam’s Domain III 33
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34. Mrs. Irons and the Gifted Class Ms. Adams and the At-Risk Class
Ms. Adams/Mrs. Irons
Mrs. Irons and the Gifted Class
Ms. Adams and the At-Risk Class
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35. The New Principal has Determined Several Action Steps Based on the Information from ERG
She will be providing a copy of the campus matrix to each teacher with all names anonymous but the individual’s. This will give the teachers an opportunity to see their students’ progress relative to the rest of the campus. She will set the stage for implementing some of the best practices that Mr. Atkins and Ms. Adams are using with such success. She will let the faculty know that this is the first step. They will be using their ERG data to “drill down” to the student expectation level each child is at, then using new benchmarking to monitor progress.
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36. Teacher Performance - Growth
At the overall test level, teachers for this subject and grade perform at a similar level. Students are achieving one year of growth relative to the district.
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37. Teacher Performance by TAKS Objective
Note that each teacher has different strengths and weaknesses in TAKS objectives.
What does this mean for PD?
What impact does this have on tutoring and scheduling?
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38. Student Growth – By TAKS Objective
Students
Variability increases as you move from the district through the campus and classroom to the student.
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39. Campus Performance Measures
What qualities are desirable in a campus?
Students achieve a year of growth
All teachers have all students achieve a year of growth
All teacher improve from year to year
How would we define measureable qualities of a high performing campus?
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40. Final Thoughts!!
ERG is a tool NOT another program. It tells the story of what is really going on – all the way down to the classroom level.
Many tools reveal performance data, ERG reveals dynamic movement of students’ learning. Which teachers “grow” students the most, i.e. which resources are being deployed successfully for the most benefit.
ERG helps to set campus goals that are based on a total picture. How a campus achieves those goals is up to the principals’ leadership.
Copyright © Education Resource Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Patent Pending