1. Stronge Teacher Effectiveness Performance Evaluation System
Data Sources
The Stronge Evaluation System is based on the extant research related to the qualities of effective teachers. Notice that the word, “effectiveness” is right in the name of the system. We chose the graphic to illustrate that teacher effectiveness is reflected in their students’ achievement.

2. Teacher Responsibilities
Having knowledge of the content, students, and curriculum
Planning instruction that meets student needs and curricular requirements
Offering appropriate and engaging instruction
Assessing student work
Providing a safe and secure learning environment
Demonstrating professionalism and communicating effectively
Increasing student achievement
Let’s talk for a moment about a teacher’s responsibilities? (Discussion)
Here is a list. Notice that these describe the seven teacher performance standards.

3. Limitations of Observation
Observe 3 to 4 classes per year (.4% of performance)
Classroom responsibilities only
Subject to evaluator bias
Focus on process of teaching versus outcomes
Inspector model of evaluation
Typically, teacher evaluation systems have focused solely on the use of one data source--observation. This data source provides data regarding a portion of a teacher’s responsibilities.
What are some of the issues you have experienced with observation? (Discuss)
Here are some of the limitations.

4. Multiple Data Sources for Teachers
Enhancing Teacher Quality: Questioning
Multiple Data Sources for Teachers
Documentation
Log
Student Learning
Objectives
Observations
Surveys
As you saw in the previous presentation, rather than just using observation, the Stronge Evaluation System uses multiple data sources. We will talk about each source individually.
Teacher Evaluation
TQR Teacher Quality Resources, LLC (c) 2005

5. Observation
Intended to provide information on a wide variety of contributions made by teachers in the classroom or to the school community as a whole.
May take a variety of forms
Formal observation
Informal observation
Walk-through observation
May occur in a variety of settings
Classroom environment
Non-classroom environment
Observations can be conducted in a variety of settings and take on a variety of forms, including quick, drop-by classroom visits, to more formal, pre-planned observational reviews using validated instruments for documenting observations.

6. Formal Observations Directly focused on teacher performance standards
May not see all standards in one observation
May include review of teacher artifacts or student data
Announced or unannounced
Should be at least 20 minutes in duration
Non-tenured teachers observed at least three times per year
Tenured teachers observed at least once per year
Additional observations at building administrator’s discretion
Pre-observation conference at request of teacher or administrator
Evaluator provides feedback during post-observation conference
In a formal observation, the evaluator conducts a structured or semi-structured, planned observation--either announced or unannounced--typically of a teacher who is presenting a lesson to or interacting with students. During this observation, the evaluator may not see all of the performance standards and may wish to review various teacher and student artifacts to provide a more complete picture.
Each formal observation must be of at least 20 minutes duration. The school district may increase the number of minutes as desired.
Non-tenured teachers should be observed at least three times a year, preferably twice in the first semester to provide formative feedback. The third observation should occur prior to March 1. School districts may modify this time schedule as desired. Tenured teachers must be observed at least once a year. Additional observations are at the building administrator’s discretion.
Pre-observation conferences are optional; post-observation conferences are mandatory.
There are specific observation requirements for the school districts participating in the EE4NJ Cohort 2. Districts should adhere to those more stringent requirements.
Participants in EE4NJ Cohort 2 have specific observation requirements

7. Sample Formal Observation Form
Directions: This form is to be used for both tenured and non-tenured teachers. Observers should use the form to provide feedback to teachers about the observation.
Teacher’s Name
Date Observed
Time
1. Professional Knowledge
The teacher demonstrates an understanding of the curriculum, subject content, and the developmental needs of students by providing relevant learning experiences.
Effectively addresses appropriate curriculum standards.
Integrates key content elements and facilitates students’ use of higher level thinking skills in instruction.
Demonstrates ability to link present content with past and future learning experiences, other subject areas, and real world experiences and applications.
Demonstrates an accurate knowledge of the subject matter.
Demonstrates skills relevant to the subject area(s) taught.
Bases instruction on goals that reflect high expectations and an understanding of the subject.
Demonstrates an understanding of the intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development of the age group.
Communicates clearly and checks for understanding.
Evidence:
2. Instructional Planning
The teacher plans using the state’s standards, the school’s curriculum, effective strategies, resources, and data to meet the needs of all students.
Uses student learning data to guide planning.
Plans time realistically for pacing, content mastery, and transitions.
Plans for differentiated instruction.
Aligns lesson objectives to the school’s curriculum and student learning needs.
Develops appropriate long- and short-range plans and adapts plans when needed.
Here is an example of a formal observation form. There are other observation forms provided in your teacher handbook. School districts may modify this form as they see fit. You have a sample of a completed formal observation form included in your training materials
Abbreviated for training purposes

8. Informal Observations
Provide more frequent information on wide variety of teacher contributions
Classroom and non-classroom settings
Less structured than formal observations
No specified duration
Occur throughout the year
Evaluator completes observation form; provides copy to teacher
Informal observations provide information on a variety of teacher contributions and may occur in a variety of settings. Evaluators are encouraged to conduct informal observations by observing instruction and non-instructional routines at various times throughout the evaluation cycle. These informal observations typically are less structured than formal observations.
There is not specified duration for informal observations, although they are typically of shorter duration than formal observations. These observations are documented using an appropriate observation form. Evaluators will provide feedback from informal observations through any appropriate means.
(Typically, walk-through observations are designed to provide brief (three to five minutes) visits in multiple classrooms. While walk-through visits can be helpful in checking for standard instructional practices or for vertical and horizontal curriculum articulation across the school, evaluators should be cautious in relying on these visits for individual teacher evaluation as, generally, they are not designed for teacher evaluation.)

9. Sample Informal Observation Form
1. Professional Knowledge
Addresses appropriate curriculum standards
Integrates key content elements and facilitates students’ use of higher level thinking skills
Demonstrates ability to link present content with past and future learning
Demonstrates an accurate knowledge of the subject matter
Demonstrates skills relevant to the subject area(s) taught
Bases instruction on goals that reflect high expectations
Demonstrates an understanding of the knowledge of development
Communicates clearly
Specific Examples
2. Instructional Planning
Uses student learning data to guide planning
Plans time for realistic pacing
Plans for differentiated instruction
Aligns lesson objectives to curriculum and student needs
Develops appropriate long- and short-range plans and adapts plans
Specific Examples:
3. Instructional Delivery
Engages students
Builds on prior knowledge
Differentiates instruction
Reinforces learning goals
Uses a variety of strategies/resources
Uses instructional technology
Here is an example of an informal observation form. There are other observation forms provided in your teacher handbook. School districts may modify this form as they see fit. You have a sample of a completed informal observation form included in your training materials
Abbreviated for training purposes

10. Documentation Log
Demonstrates teacher’s professional competence in regard to meeting performance standards – teacher’s voice in evaluation
Complements classroom observation
Includes both specific required artifacts and teacher-selected artifacts
Helps to clarify instructional relationship between lesson plans, student work, and assessments; should include analysis and reflection
More concise than portfolios; district needs to relay expectations
Property of teacher; reviewed by evaluator at least annually
Artifacts of a teacher’s performance can serve as valuable and insightful data source for documenting the work that teachers actually do. They give the teacher an opportunity to demonstrate evidence of meeting the performance standards. The items included provide evaluators with information they likely would not observe during the course of a typical classroom visit.
We have provided a list of examples of documentation that might be used to demonstrate evidence of meeting the standards. School districts may modify this list and may make some items required or leave them as optional.
The emphasis is on the quality of work, not the quantity of materials presented. Teachers should not be creating artifacts specifically for the Documentation Log; rather, they including artifacts they create in their normal day-to-day operations. It is important for school districts to make their expectations for the Documentation Log clear.

11. Sample Documentation Log Cover Sheet
Standards
Required Item
Examples of Evidence
Evidence Included
1. Professional Knowledge
Transcripts of coursework
Professional Development certificates
Annotated list of instructional activities
Lesson/intervention plan
Journals/notes that represent reflective thinking and professional growth
Samples of innovative approaches developed by teacher
2. Instructional
Planning
Evidence of using data about student learning to guide planning and instruction
Differentiation in lesson planning and practice
Analysis of classroom assessment
Data driven curriculum revision work
Examples:
- Sample lesson or unit plan
- Course syllabus
- Intervention plan
- Substitute lesson plan
- Annotated learning objectives
3. Instructional
Delivery
Annotated photographs of class activities
Handouts or sample work
Video/audio samples of instructional units
This is a portion of the Documentation Log Cover Sheet. You can see that it suggests various artifacts. The school district may choose to make some items required. A complete Documentation Log Cover Sheet may be found in your training materials.
Abbreviated for training purposes

12. Student Surveys
Provide students’ perceptions of how teacher is performing -- direct knowledge of classroom practices
Assist teacher in setting goals for continuous improvement (formative evaluation)
Age considerations for survey
Surveys are anonymous
Actual responses seen only by individual teacher
Survey summary form included in documentation log
Student surveys represent an additional source of information regarding teacher performance. The purpose of a student survey is to collect information that will help the teacher set goals for continuous improvement (i.e., for formative evaluation).
There are four different surveys that teachers can administer: Grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and The surveys are aligned to the performance standards.
School districts may modify how the survey is administered, but we recommend that the teacher administer the survey prior to the end of the first semester so that he or she can use the results to help improve his or her practice (end of first quarter if it is a semester course). The teacher collects the results and uses a survey summary sheet to reflect on what the students perceived as strengths, weaknesses, and what he or she might do to address the weaknesses. The survey summary sheet becomes part of the Documentation Log.

13. Sample Grades K-2 Survey
Example: I like to eat pizza.   
1. My teacher listens to me.
2. My teacher gives me help when I need it.
Here is an example of the types of questions on the K-2 student survey.
Abbreviated for training purposes

14. Sample Grades 6-8 Survey Example: I like listening to music. 1 2 3 4 5
Strongly
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Example: I like listening to music. 1 2 3 4 5
1. My teacher gives clear instructions.
2. My teacher shows respect to all students.
3. My teacher handles classroom disruptions well.
4. My teacher helps me to be organized.
Here are some questions students in middle school might see.
Abbreviated for training purposes

15. What are some of the possibilities and pitfalls of using student surveys?
Teachers receive feedback from the receivers of their services
Teachers can use as a formative evaluation to improve practice
Concern that results are based on popularity
Surveys might not ask the right questions
Surveys might not ask the right students.
Advantages of Student Surveys
Students are the primary consumers of the teacher’s services. They have direct knowledge about classroom practices on a regular basis. Students have the breath, depth, and length of experience with the teacher. They are in the key position to provide information about teacher effectiveness and they can discriminate the quality in their teachers’ performance. In addition, student observations of teachers are unobtrusive and occur in the most naturalistic settings.
Students’ perceptions are beneficial for teacher improvement. Teachers look to their students rather than to outside sources for indications of their teaching performance.
Concerns about Student Surveys
There is ample evidence to support the use of student surveys in teacher evaluation. We will talk more about this issue on the next slide.
Student surveys should be restricted to descriptions of life in the classroom. They should be based on discrete and visible behaviors as a way to increase reliability. Student survey data for multiple years may be needed to establish patterns of performance.
No matter how solid the survey instruments are, good sampling procedures are still needed to generate quality data. Surveys intended for use in evaluation should reflect a cross-section of the teacher’s student population.

16. What does research say about usability and reliability of survey data?
Secondary students reliably rate teachers
Elementary students demonstrate adequate reliability for rating teachers
Student ratings of teachers are a significant predictor of student achievement—better than parent or administrator ratings
There is ample evidence to support the use of student surveys in teacher evaluation. Research consistently has indicated that students from Kindergarten to high school can provide reliable and useful information related to teacher effectiveness.
Students have the ability to provide perspectives that principals cannot offer. Researchers who compared students’ ratings of meritorious and non-meritorious teachers with ratings from expert practitioners found that the students were able to discriminate between meritorious and non-meritorious teachers as well as the qualified evaluators.
Researchers have also compared the validity of ratings by students, principals, and the teachers, themselves. They found students’ ratings were the best predictor of student achievement, thus demonstrating that students provide valid feedback on teacher performance.
Faucette, Ball, & Ostrander, 1995; Stronge & Ostrander, 2006; Wilkerson, Mannatt, Rogers, & Maughan, 2000

17. Recommendations for Interpreting Survey Results
Review results and ask yourself the following questions:
Is the information your students provided about you accurate?
If you agree that the information is accurate, are you satisfied with the students’ perceptions about you?
If you believe the information is inaccurate, do you know why your students have these perceptions?
Do you need to make changes to improve your students’ perceptions?
If you think changes are justified, consider using the student data to set a personal or instructional goal for improvement.
Teachers should review the results and reflect on the questions listed above.

18. Sample Student Survey Summary Form
Here is a sample of the Student Survey Summary Form. A complete form may be found in your training materials
Abbreviated for training purposes

19. Student Learning Objectives
Student Learning Objectives used for both teachers of tested and non-tested grades and subjects
Percentage of Standard 7 weight determined by state
Appropriate measures of academic progress are determined
Teachers set objectives for improving student progress based on the results of performance measures
Quality of the objectives and their attainment provide an important data source for evaluation
The New Jersey Educator Effectiveness Task Force has recommended that Student Achievement (Standard 7 in the Stronge Evaluation System) account for 50% of the evaluation for teachers of tested grades and subjects and between 15%-50% for teachers of non-tested grades/subjects (New Jersey Department of Education Notice of Grant Opportunity, March 2012).
A portion of Standard 7 may be determined by Student Learning Objectives.
Setting learning objectives based squarely on student performance is a powerful way to enhance professional performance and, in turn, positively impact student achievement. Student Learning Objectives are designed to improve student learning.
Depending on grade level, content area, and learners’ ability level, appropriate measures of learner performance are identified to provide information on learning gains. Performance measures may include standardized test results as well as other pertinent data sources. Teachers set objectives for improving student progress based on the results of performance measures. The Student Learning Objectives and their attainment constitute an important data source for evaluation.
We will spend a majority of the session tomorrow exploring Student Learning Objectives.

20. Sample Student Learning Objectives Progress Form
Here is a sample of a Student Learning Objectives Progress Form. A complete form may be found in your training materials.
Abbreviated for training purposes

21. Data Collection Responsibility
Data Collection Procedure
Form(s)
Evaluator
Teacher
Measures of Academic Progress
Student Learning Objectives Form
Reviews/ approves
Selects/ develops
Informal Observations
Informal Classroom Observation Form 
Formal Observations
Formal Classroom Observation Form
Student Surveys
Student Survey Forms (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12)
Student Survey Summary
Documentation Logs
Documentation Log Cover Sheet
Self-Assessment
Optional Teacher Self-Assessment Form
As you saw in the overview presentation, data collection is a shared responsibility between teachers and evaluators.
You’ll notice that self-assessment is also included on this chart. Teachers reflect on their practice throughout the evaluation process by reflecting on their goals and strategies used to achieve them, they reflect on items they place into the Documentation Log, and they reflect on the results of the student survey. Should teachers wish to reflect in a more structured manner, the teacher handbook contains an optional self-evaluation form teachers may use.

22. Sample Self-Assessment Form
Here is an optional sample Self-Assessment Form. A completed sample form is in your training materials.
Abbreviated for training purposes

23. Multiple Data Sources Performance Portrait Observations Documentation
Student Learning
Objectives
Observations
Documentation
Log
Surveys
Multiple data sources provide for a comprehensive and authentic “performance portrait” of the teacher’s work.
Performance Portrait