REINVENTING EDUCATOR EVALUATION CONNECTING PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE WITH STUDENT LEARNING
POLICY BRIEF
www.massteacher.org/cepp
Paul Tone oner, r, President Timothy Sullivan, Vice President Ann Clarke, Executive Director-Treasurer
Abu he MAssAchuses eAchers AsscA AsscA The Massachusetts Teachers Teachers Association is a member-driven organization, governed by democratic principles, that accepts and supports the interdependence of professionalism and unionism. The MTA promotes the use of its members’ collective power to advance their professional and economic interests. The MTA is committed to human and civil rights and advocates for quality public education in which lifelong learning and innovation flourish. The MTA is the 107,000-member state affiliate of the National Education Association.
Abu he ceer fr educA educA Plcy Ad PrAcce The Center for Education Policy and Practice, as a division of the MTA, works with local associations, other education professional associations and public- and private-sector organizations interested in framing and advancing education policy issues. CEPP engages in work covering four broad areas. 1) Influence educational policy through collaborative discussions with members of the Board of El ementary and Secondary Education, the commissioner of elementary and secondary education, the governor’ governor’ss education advisors, the House and Senate chairpersons of the education committee and leaders of professional education associations. 2) Inform, educate and improve the understanding of educational issues related to school reform, school i mprovement, educator preparation, evaluation and retention. 3) Improve practice for teachers, administrators and paraprofessionals through a range of staff development programs. 4) Collaborate with MTA divisions and local association leaders to ensure that teaching and learning focused on student achievement and school improvement become collective bargaining goals.
citation Massachusetts husetts Teachers Skinner, K.J. (2010). Reinventing evaluation: Connecting professional practice with student learning. Boston: Massac Association. This policy brief summarizes the Massac Massachusetts husetts Teachers Association’ Association’s plan for reinventing the teacher and administrator evaluation framework in Massachusetts. Massachusetts. A more detailed report providing specific recommended changes to the state’s regulatory framework will follow. When that is completed, this policy brief will become the executive summary of th e longer report.
Proposal for Reinventing Educator Evaluation Educators are committed to setting high expectations for student learning. To achieve proficiency in their professional practice, they need the guidance and expertise of supervisors and peers in identifying both strengths and areas for improvement. Educators – teachers and administrators – are interested in meaningful exchanges of information about their practice. The current regulatory framework provides some meaningful guidance. However, critical elements are missing, and district implementation is uneven. This has led to cynicism among some educators about the purpose and intent of both supervision and evaluation. In a recent survey of over 5,100 MTA members, 76 percent indicated that evaluations identify their strengths, but only 34 percent indicated that evaluations identify professional development that would improve their practice. In addition, evaluations often fail to provide an adequate record of facts for personnel decisions, such as promotion or dismi ssal. The survey reinforces the sense in the field that current evaluation systems often fail to provide information for continuous professional growth. Addressing these significant disconnects is a key element of the MTA plan. The current evaluation framework needs to be reinvented because good evaluations provide good feedback, better support and better instruction, resulting in improved student learning. The MTA is actively involved in the Educator Evaluation Task Force appointed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to make recommendations regarding how the state’s evaluation regulatory framework should be reformed. This paper was an outgrowth of the research and discussions MTA MTA participated in as part of that task force, but the recommendations are MTA’s alone. Teachers are critically important to the success of their students. Although everyone involved in education agrees on this point, there is also consensus that our current evaluation systems do a poor job of identifying teacher and administrator strengths and weaknesses and providing mechanisms for helping them to im prove. Many teachers contend that they are not evaluated as frequently as required by law and that w hen they are assessed, the process is often superficial. They complain that they are given too little helpful feedback and too few opportunities to address any problems that may be brought to light. Administrators, for their part, often complain that their workloads are too large. Many have received little or no training in how to do effective evaluations. And they contend that it is too difficult to terminate unsatisfactory teachers. The problem is circular: Terminations may be challenged because the teacher being dismissed has not been properly evaluated or given an opportunity to improve. Both sides are dissatisfied. Ultimately, it is the students who lose when the evaluation and support system breaks down. Our goal is to break this cycle by proposing a new approach to evaluation – one that would help our schools meet crucial goals, keep promising teachers in the classroom and narrow the achievement gap. In this report, we are calling for a series of changes in the state evaluation framework that would then be incorporated into evaluation systems negotiated negotiated at the local level. It is a system that would produce real rewards for our profession and for our schools. All students deserve a high-quality education, and improving the evaluation process is a key step in the right direction. Clearly, the situation as it exists is flawed. The MTA plan addresses this problem through a framework that evaluates both practice and practitioners using student learning and outcomes as one means to validate judgments. MCAS growth scores – along with local teacher,, school and district assessments – will be used to gauge teacher and administrator performance, but not in a superficial or teacher formulaic way proposed by some others. Instead, the MTA plan makes sense because it takes student assessment results into account as one measure among the mix that should be used in a truly effective – and truly fair – evaluation system.
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defceces he curre sy syseM seM Ad M MA A’s PlA MPrVe MPrVe Too often evaluations are superficial, base almost exclusivel on brief classroom observations. The MTA MTA plan would require locally negotiated systems to begin with an evaluation of practice that includes self-assessment, observations and examination of artifacts. The initial judgments would then be validated by looking at multiple m easures of student learning and outcomes. Trends in growth scores on state assessments would be one of those measures, where available, but other measures must also be included, such as performance on district assessments, teacher-developed tests, student projects and performance evaluations. •
If observation-based observation-based judgments are validated by measures of student learning and outcomes, the educator’ educator’ss practice is rated.
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If judgments judgments are NOT validated by measures of student student learning and outcomes, outcomes, the evaluator would be required to to reassess the educator’ss practice to determine if there was a problem with the original assessment, a problem wi th the measures of student educator’ learning, or another factor to explain the discrepancy.
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After the reassessment, the rating would be established.
Too often aministrators are inaequatel traine in how to conuct high-qualit evaluations. The MTA MTA plan would require administrators and peer assistants to be trained and to demonstrate proficiency in conducting evaluations. All those observing practice would have to complete a DESE-approved training program and pass assessment tasks to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in: •
Observing and judging practice.
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Working with adult learners.
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Conducting difficult conversations.
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Developing and implementing professional growth or improvement plans.
Too often evaluation oes not istinguish among levels of performance. The MTA plan requires all teachers and administrators to be rated on a four-category scale: exemplary, proficient, needs improvement, unsatisfactory . The rating would determine the educator’s professional growth or improvement plan and its duration and consequences. Different levels of improvement planning and supervision would be required based on the rating, allowing administrators to concentrate more on those failing to meet the standard or needing improvement.
Too often aministrators are responsible for evaluating too man eucators. The MTA MTA plan would reduce the number of educators that administrators are responsible for evaluating by recommending that districts select educators rated at exemplary as peer assistants who would observe and assess highly rated peers with supervisory oversight. exemplary as The MTA plan recommends that districts with positive labor-management relationships consider establishing Peer Assistance and Review programs, with financial support from the DESE, that would create the conditions for:
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Educators rated as exemplary to become peer reviewers who reviewers who would assist in the assessment of novice practitioners.
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Administrators to supervise supervise and and evaluate evaluate both novice and veteran educators whose practice practice is identified as less than proficient.
REINVENTING TEACHER E VALUA VALUATION TION
Too often evaluations o not ientif exemplar teachers an aministrators. The MTA plan includes a Teacher Career Path that identifies instructional l eadership and educational management roles, the professional preparation for each and a DESE endorsement process for exemplary teachers, who would be eligible to apply for exemplary teachers, positions with more responsibility and more pay, such as mentor mentor,, instructional coach or peer reviewer. In addition, the MTA plan sets rating “gates” that must be attained in order for educators to earn Professional Teacher Status (PTS) 1, for teachers to become administrators, and for administrators to advance to higher positions.
Some aministrators claim it is too ifficult to ismiss teachers an aministrators. The MTA plan would set clear dismissal standards and procedures that protect due process rights. Teachers and administrators within their first three years would still be subject to non-renewal at the discretion of the principal, as under current law. Teachers Teachers and administrators with PTS who are rated unsatisfactory would have a one-year improvement plan. The district would be required unsatisfactory would to define and document the guidance and support provided to implement that plan, such as professional development and peer assistance. If the teacher or administrator was still rated unsatisfactory after at least one year of documented intensive support, that educator could be dismissed.
hW sudes beef The MTA plan connects the analysis of evaluation results to the goals of each educator’s professional growth plan. Educators who are evaluated properly, provided with meaningful feedback about their practice and given guidance become better teachers and administrators. Students benefit when:
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Educators become proficient practitioners and stay in the district.
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Educators use measures measures of student learning and and outcomes to guide their own professional professional learning. learning.
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Teachers enhance instructional skills to address student learning needs.
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Caseload educators educators (for example, adjustment counselors) enhance their knowledge knowledge and skills to address students’ well-being in support of learning.
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School administrators have the instructional leadership skills to to establish establish safe, collaborative learning environments.
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District administrators administrators have have the leadership skills to ensure that resources resources are are used to support student learning, learning, student wellbeing and adult learning.
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Intervention with unsatisfactory educators results in improved performance or timely dismissal. unsatisfactory educators
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District resources are expended on professional development rather than extended labor disputes.
Teachers (teachers, school librarians, school adjustment counselors, school nurses, school social workers or school psychologists) earn Professional Teacher Status after three consecutive year s of employment. PTS ens ures that dismissal may o nly result from just cause and that due process rights are protected. (MGL, Chapter 71, sections 41 and 42). MTA CT dCAT PCy Ad PACTC
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rAGulAed sAdArds-bAsed eVAluA frAMeWrK The MTA plan creates a Triangulated Standards-Based Evaluation Framework that that replaces the existing regulatory structure. New would replace the current Principles of Effective Teaching, and new Standards of Standards of Professional Practice for Teachers eachers would Professional Practice for Administrato Administrators rs would would replace the current Principles of Effective Administrati Administrative ve Leadership.
stana o Poiona Pati o a a
stana o Po Poiona iona Pati o Aminitato
STAdAd 1: HGH XPCTATS Teachers are committed to their students and their learning.
STAdAd 1: STCTA AdSHP Administrators implement a clear vision and engage stakeholders so that all students are academically successful.
STAdAd 2: CCM Ad STCT Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students.
STAdAd 2: MAAGMT Ad PATS Administrators manage operations and resources to ensure a safe, efficient and effective learning environment.
STAdAd 3: ASSSSMT Teachers are responsible for managing, monitoring and improving student learning.
STAdAd 3: AMy Ad CMMTy ATS Administrators collaborate with families and community members, respond to diverse community interests and needs and mobilize community resources.
STAdAd 4: CTV PACTC STAdAd Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience.
STAdAd 4: CTV PACTC Administrators demonstrate ethical, culturally proficient and reflective leadership.
STAdAd 5: PSSA SPSBTy Teachers are members of learning communities.
STAdAd 5: PSSA SPSBTy Administrators are fair and active members of a professional learning community community..
This framework is a significant change from current practice, which involves an observation-based, subjective evaluation procedure. The MTA MTA plan begins with observation of practice and examination of artifacts, but incorporates two more elements: validation of the initial judgment by examining measures of student learning and outcomes and assessing evidence of professional contributions. The various elements are combined effectively to create a unified system. All three elements are essential for providing educators with the information they need to grow professionally and to improve student learning. All licensed educators will be evaluated on the five standards using a triangulated framework. The purpose of evaluation is to:
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Provide information for the the continuous continuous improvement improvement of educator performance that directly impacts impacts student student learning learning and wellbeing.
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Create a factual record record to inform personnel personnel decisions (for example, example, about awarding PTS, eligibility for teacher career career path roles, promotion to administrative positions, and dismissal or demotion).
REINVENTING TEACHER E VALUA VALUATION TION
a & Aminitato evaation famwok OBSERVATION OF PRACTICE & EXAMINATION OF ARTIFACTS
V a l e i d a i c t c t e a r s J P t u d u o g m b a e n s n t t s e a b m TRIANGULATED g o u d u t P J STANDARDS-BASED s r a t e c t a i t i i d l EVALUATION FRAMEWORK o n V a e r MEASURES OF STUDENT
EVIDENCE OF PROFESSIONAL
LEARNING & OUTCOMES
CONTRIBUTIONS
The entry point for this framework is the observation of practice and examination of artifacts in relation to the five standards. Key elements include: •
Self-assessment during which the educator rates his/her performance and identifies identifies artifacts artifacts that that validate validate the ratings.
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Observations of practice practice by administrators and peers peers using using a scoring rubric related related to to the standards.
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Examination of artifacts of practice by administrators and peers.
To validate judgments and inform ratings for the first three standards for either teachers (High Expectations, Curriculum & Instruction, Assessment) or administrators (Instructional Leadership, Management & Operations, Family & Community Engagement), administrators, peers and educators should use measures of student learning and outcomes, including trends in MCAS growth scores, where available, and other locally agreed-upon assessments, such as district-based tests or student projects. To validate judgments and inform ratings for the last two standards for teachers and administrators (Reflective Practice and Professional Responsibilities), administrators, peers and educators should use evidence of contributions to the school, district or the profession. Together these three elements are combined to provide the overall evaluation of the educator based on the Standards of Professional Practice. This results in a rating: exemplary exemplary,, proficient, needs improvement or improvement or unsatisfactory . The three factors are not separately weighted, nor are they assigned specific percentages of the overall evaluation – all are interdependent. The overall rating determines an educator’s professional growth plan or improvement plan: proficient proficient or or exemplary exemplary results results in a selfdetermined growth plan; needs improvement , a directed growth plan; and unsatisfactory , an improvement plan. This triangulated framework rests on the strong belief that high-quality practice leads to good student learning. The goal is to rate practitioners in a way that results in professional growth and identifies those w ho need more intensive intervention as well as those eligible for career advancement. The basic principle is that one measure is insufficient for formulating judgments; the more measures used, the more likely it is that the overall rating will be valid.
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Statewide standards and indicators guide the process, which begins with self-assessment followed by observation of practice and examination of artifacts, such as lesson plans, Individual Education Plans, school schedules and district improvement plans. Judgments about practice are validated validated by by using multiple measures of student learning and outcomes. Judgments about the practitioner are validated with evidence of contributions to the school, district and/or profession. validated with •
For all licensed teachers and administrators: - Four performance categories: exemplary exemplary,, proficient, needs improvement, unsatisfactory. - Two-year supervision and evaluation evaluation cycle for those with PTS, as per current law. - Annual supervision and evaluation cycle for those without PTS, as per current law. - Professional growth plans connected to school needs and practitioners’ learning goals. - Improvement plans for for those those rated rated unsatisfactory .
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For those observing, supervising and evaluating educator practice: - Completion of DESE-approved professional development development program. program. - Successful completion of performance assessment tasks. - Endorsement of the teacher or administrator license indicating qualifications as an evaluator evaluator..
Professional Growth Plan All educators will have a professional growth or improvement plan that identifies specific goals, learning activities, timelines and work products. The type of pl an is determined by the educator’s performance performance rating and PTS status. •
or exemplary . Self-determined plans are for educators with PTS who are rated as proficient Self-determined plans proficient or
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Directed plans are for all educators without PTS and those with PTS rated as needs improvement . Directed plans
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Improvement plans are for educators with PTS rated as unsatisfactory . Improvement plans
Two-year valuation Ccle The expectation is that most educators with PTS will enter into a two-year evaluation cycle that begins with an initial performance rating. This rating informs the goals and activities of self-determined professional growth plans, which include periodic formative assessments and culminate in summative evaluations. These educators will work primarily with their peers, with occasional observations and conversations with administrators.
Annual valuation Ccle All educators without PTS will have a one-year evaluation cycle with frequent formal and informal observations and supervisory conferences. The directed directed professional professional growth plan will define specific learning activities appropriate for novice teachers or administrators, such as induction programs and mentor-protégé meetings. It will include frequent formative assessments and culminate in summative evaluation. These educators will work primarily with peer assistants and supervisors. All educators with PTS who receive needs improvement ratings improvement ratings will have a one-year evaluation cycle with frequent formal and informal observations and supervisory conferences. The directed professional growth plan will define specific learning activities directed professional directly related to the educator’s performance performance standards. It will include frequent formative assessments and culminate in a summative evaluation. These educators will work primarily with peer assistants and supervisors.
mprovement Plan Process An educator with PTS whose overall performance is rated unsatisfactory will be placed on a one-year improvement plan that sets unsatisfactory will goals for the specific knowledge, skills or practices the educator must improve and the measures by which progress toward attainment of the plan goals will be determined. The plan must clearly define the professional development, administrative support and evidence of progress required over a one-year period. If, after at least one year of documented intensive administrative support, the educator fails to make adequate progress toward achieving the plan’s goals, the educator may be dismissed or demoted.
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REINVENTING TEACHER E VALUA VALUATION TION
Career Avancement Educator evaluations should be used to inform critical decisions about career advancement; this is a key factor that is not currently addressed in existing regulations (603 CMR 35.00). Through this Triangulated Standards-Based Evaluation Framework , a record of facts and assessments will be available for use in critical personnel decision making. In order to: •
Achieve PTS, the educator’ educator’ss performance rating should be proficient .
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Advance to an administrative position, the teacher’ teacher’ss performance rating should be exemplary .
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Advance into teacher career path-positions, the educator’ educator’ss performance rating should be exemplary .
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Advance to a higher administrative position, the administrator’ administrator’ss performance rating should be exemplary .
Peer Assistance an eview Programs The MTA plan recommends that any district wi th positive labor-management relations and interest in establishing a Peer Assistance and Review program should receive financial support from the DESE and technical assistance from professional providers with the requisite expertise. PAR programs provide career-pat career-path h opportunities for exemplary teachers to become peer assistants and exemplary teachers assistants and peer reviewers. By shifting the assistance and assessment of practice for novice practitioners from administrators to trained teachers, the workload for administrators is reduced. In addition, many educators say they would prefer to receive guidance from peers who have jobs similar to their own rather than from a supervisor who may have little experience with teaching particular grades or subjects.
Qualifications for Aministrators an Peer Assistants Successful implementation depends on the abilities and qualifications of those who are observing, supervising and evaluating educator practice. As a result, any educator who will do this critical work must have a Professional License and successfully complete a DESEapproved training program that includes evidence of knowledge and skills related to: •
Observing practice and examination of artifacts.
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Validating judgments through through multiple measures of student learning and outcomes and and evidence of contributions contributions to the school, school, district or profession.
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Designing and implementing professional growth plans and improvement plans.
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Conducting difficult conversations.
A critical component to address the cynicism within the field is ensuring that those who are j udging practice have been practitioners themselves. Educators who are observing, supervising and evaluating must have five years of appropriate experience: teaching experience for assessing teachers; caseload experience for assessing caseload educators, such as counselors, case managers or school nurses; and administrative experience for assessing administrators.
mplementation Changing the framework and systems by which educators are evaluated is complex work. The DESE should work with the professional associations to outline a three-year implementation plan that aligns with the RTTT requirements. The plan must: •
Address the training of approximately 8,000 administrators and teachers who will do this work.
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Identify pilot districts districts most likely to implement a new evaluation evaluation system system in the 2011-12 2011-12 school year year..
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Develop a regional reporting reporting process for other district and association/union association/union teams to to learn from pilot districts.
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Identify those districts that will implement in 2012-13 2012-13 and those that will implement in 2013-14. 2013-14.
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Collective Bargaining The new regulatory framework provides guidance to district and union leaders who determine the details of the local evaluation system through collective bargaining as required by Chapter 150E. Elements should include: •
Performance indicators aligned to the Standards of Professional Practice.
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Specific multiple measures of student learning and outcomes.
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Specific evidence related to contributions to the school, district or profession.
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Procedures related to: - Self-assessment. - Formal and informal observations. - Examination of artifacts. - Validation with measures of student learning and outcomes. - Validation with evidence of professional professional contributions. contributions.
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Timelines, protocols and forms.
If the association/union and management decide that a Peer Assistance and Review program would be beneficial to the district, the decision to implement it and all the program elements are subject to collective bargaining.
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REINVENTING TEACHER E VALUA VALUATION TION
eVAluA eVAluA cy cycle cle All educators enter the evaluation cycle with a rating based on the triangulated framework. or exemplary will develop a two-year self-determined growth wo-ya c: Educators who have an overall rating of proficient proficient or exemplary will plan that will be monitored by peers and/or administrators who will contribute to the overall summative evaluation rating at the end of a two-year cycle of formative assessments. Provided that their practice continues to be rated in one of these two categories, they continue in a two-year cycle. OBSERVATIONS
MEASURES
EVIDENCE
Needs Improvement
Unsatisfactory
1-Year Improvement Plan
Does Not Improve
Improves
1-Year Directed Growth Plan
Proficient
Exemplary
Eligible for Additional Roles & Responsibilit Responsibilities ies
2-Year Self-Determined Growth Plan
Does Not Improve
Dismissed or Demoted
Annual Ccle: •
Educators with PTS who have an overall rating of needs improvement will improvement will develop a one-year directed growth plan that wi ll be monitored by administrators who will determine the overall summative evaluation rating. Educators whose performance improves will enter into the two-year cycle.
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All novice educators (teachers and administrators administrators in their first three years years of practice) will be on an annual evaluation cycle. cycle. This directed growth plan may require the completion of district induction programs, engagement in mentoring activities and other activities related to the educator’ educator’ss individual needs.
mpovmnt Pan: Educators who have an overall rating of unsatisfactory mpovmnt unsatisfactory will will be placed on a 12-month improvement plan (June 1-May 31) that prescribes professional development, administrative support, peer assistance, required work products, and benchmarks. Educators whose performance indicates significant progress toward achieving the improvement goals may move to either the annual or two-year cycle depending on their rating. Educators who do not make significant progress may be dismissed or demoted.
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Center for Education Policy and Practice Massachusetts Teachers Association 20 Ashburton Place Boston, MA 02108 800.392.6175
www.massteacher.org
