Effective Teachers Initiative: Designing a New Teacher Appraisal & Development System

Effective Teachers Initiative: Designing a New Teacher Appraisal & Development System Board Workshop April 7, 2011 HISD Executive Sponsors: Julie Baker, Chief Major Projects Officer Ann Best, Chief Human Resources Officer

Agenda The Need for a Better Appraisal and Development System Overview of the Design Process The Proposed New System Plan for Implementation

Our teachers and principals have made it clear that PDAS does not meet their needs. Results: 2010 Survey of 6,279 HISD Teachers and 144 HISD Principals 44% 51% of teachers say that PDAS allows appraisers to accurately assess teachers’ instructional performance. of principals say that PDAS/MPDAS allows them to accurately assess teachers’ instructional performance. of teachers say that the PDAS process helps them improve their instructional performance. 28% 43% *The response rate for teachers surveyed was 55%, and the response rate for principals surveyed was 56%. Source: Surveys of HISD teachers and principals.

Ensuring that there is an effective teacher in every classroom is a critical part of HISD’s Strategic Direction. Board of Education Goals for HISD from the Declaration of Beliefs and Visions 1 2 4 5 3 Effective Teacher in Every Classroom Effective Principal in Every School Rigorous Instructional Standards &Supports Data Driven Account-ability Culture of Trust through Action

Effective Teachers Initiative Vision: An effective teacher in every classroom, delivering high-quality instruction to all students. Four Key Strategies Smart recruitment Useful appraisals Individualized teacher support New career pathways Effective Instruction In All Classrooms Improved Student Learning Outcomes

Agenda The Need for a Better Appraisal and Development System Overview of the Design Process The Proposed New System Planning for Implementation

   Texas State Education Code gives specific guidance for local school districts developing their own appraisal systems. DNA (LOCAL) is the district’s policy on its teacher appraisal and development system. It requires the adoption of a revised policy on the appraisal process and criteria. Texas State Education Code requires that: Teacher performance appraisal criteria must be based on observable, job-related behavior, including: “teachers' implementation of discipline management procedures”; and “the performance of teachers' students.” If a district does not utilize the state’s recommended system, it must use an appraisal process and performance criteria that: Is “developed by the district- and campus-level committees” established under state code; Contains teachers’ implementation of discipline management procedures and the performance of teachers’ students; and Is adopted by the board of trustees. “The board of trustees may reject an appraisal process and performance criteria developed by the district- and campus-level committees but may not modify the process or criteria.” From Texas State Education Code Chapter 21, Sub-Chapter H, Sections 351(a)(1)(2), 352(a) and 352(b).

Teachers, principals and other stakeholders have led a six-month effort to design a new appraisal and development system. School-based Shared Decision-Making Committees (SDMCs) Working Groups (Teachers, Principals, Parents, HISD Staff) Submitted recommendations on appraisal criteria and process; More than 250 SDMCs participated in the design process District Advisory Committee (DAC) HISD Community and Stakeholders Built rubrics and other tools needed to implement the new system Developed final proposal for appraisal process and criteria based on recommendations from SDMCs and Working Groups Provided input on SDMC, DAC and working group recommendations throughout the design process

   Collaboration and transparency were top priorities in the design process. HISD actively sought feedback from the entire community. Community Engagement During the Design Process HISD held three public meetings to gather feedback on the draft proposal. 2,655 teachers and 282 appraisers completed an online survey on the draft proposal. 40 teachers and 18 principals participated in focus groups to help shape specific aspects of the draft proposal. HISD posted all materials from the design process on a dedicated website that has logged more than 14,000 visits. HISD sent biweekly email updates on the process to all teachers and principals. HISD read, logged and responded to 1,100 questions and comments received by email and via the website.

Timeline of the Design Process Feb. - Mar. Public comment period on the draft proposal SDMCs and DAC revise recommendations based on feedback Working groups continue developing tools/instruments Sept. - Dec. SDMCs submit recommendations on the appraisal criteria and process DAC begins building the draft proposal based on the SDMCs’ recommendations Dec. - Jan. Working groups begin developing tools/instruments SDMCs submit additional recommendations DAC completes the draft proposal Apr. - May Proposal for the new system presented to the Board of Education for approval Tools/instruments continually refined based on stakeholder input In all, the final proposal represents input from…

The proposed system will paint a complete picture of each teacher’s performance based on multiple measures in three performance criteria. Student Performance Three Major Performance Criteria Student Performance: Teacher’s impact on student learning Instructional Practice: Teacher’s skills and knowledge that help promote student learning Professional Expectations: Teacher’s efforts to meet objective, measurable standards of professionalism Instructional Practice Professional Expectations Teachers will be evaluated based on multiple measures in each performance criterion. The scores in the three criteria will combine into an overall rating of Ineffective, Needs Improvement, Effective, or Highly Effective.

The proposed system is designed to give all teachers the regular feedback and individualized support they deserve as professionals. • Focus on Feedback and Development • Three teacher/appraiser conferences each year will provide teachers with comprehensive feedback on their performance. • Appraisers will conduct at least 2 classroom observations and at least 2 walkthroughs throughout the year, each followed by in-person/written feedback. • Teachers will work with appraisers to create an individualized development plan that identifies specific areas for professional growth and targeted learning activities to address them. • Appraisers will be held accountable for helping teachers meet their professional goals. Conferences Formal meetings with appraiser to discuss performance, set goals, create and update development plan Individualized Development Learning activities informed by development plan Appraisal and Development Cycle Ongoing Feedback Observations and walkthroughs followed by formal and informal feedback on teaching Self-Reflection Reflect on performance, student progress, and professional goals

Proposed Appraisal and Development Timeline • Sept: Beginning-of-Year Conference • Discuss prior year’s outcomes • Set student learning measures and professional goals • Create an individualized development plan • Between Conferences: • Continuous Feedback and Individualized Development • Multiple required classroom observations (unannounced) of varying lengths, followed by formal feedback • Individualized professional development activities based on the development plan • Ongoing, informal feedback based on additional observations and review of student data • Self-reflection • Dec – Jan: Mid-Year Conference • Comprehensive feedback on performance, to date • Adjust goals and update development plan as necessary • Apr – May: End-of-Year Conference • Comprehensive feedback on performance, to date • Final performance rating, to date • Set preliminary goals for next year

The proposed new system makes major improvements over PDAS.

Criteria in Focus: Instructional Practice Instructional Practice Reflects a teacher’s skills and knowledge that help drive student learning in the classroom. 1 • Types of Criteria • Instruction (such as, checks for student understanding and responds to student misunderstanding, maximizes instructional time) • Planning (such as, develops student learning goals, designs effective lesson plans, units, and assessments) • Sources of Evidence • Such as classroom observations, planning documents, daily interactions with the teacher, and reviews of certain documents and artifacts (such as, lesson plans, classroom management plans, grade books, portfolio of student work, etc.). Appraisers will have the flexibility to use any sources of evidence collected throughout the course of the year that reflect the criteria. Teachers can also provide additional sources of evidence that they want to inform their appraisal.

Criteria in Focus: Professional Expectations Professional Expectations Reflects a core set of objective, measurable professional expectations for teachers. 2 • Types of Criteria • Professionalism (such as, complies with policies and procedures at school, collaborates with colleagues) • Sources of Evidence • Such as classroom observations, planning documents, daily interactions with the teacher, and reviews of certain documents and artifacts (such as parent communication logs, sign-in sheets for PLCs, agendas and minutes from team meetings, teacher attendance records).

Criteria in Focus: Student Performance Student Performance Reflects a teacher’s impact on student learning. 3 • Guiding Principles (Selected) • Multiple measures of student learning for all teachers; all teachers will have at least two measures of student learning included in their appraisal • No teacher’s measures of student learning will be based solely on value-added data • Specific measures will vary based on the teacher’s subject and grade, with the most accurate and fair measures used for each subject and grade • Wherever possible and reasonable, measures will be growth- or progress-based measures of student learning • All measures will be based on end-of-course or end-of-year assessments; formative assessment will not be used for appraisal purposes • All assessments used to measure student learning for the purposes of appraisal must meet specific standards around sufficient “stretch” and alignment to curriculum

Criteria in Focus: Student Performance (continued) Five Types of Student Learning Measures

Appraisers will use a simple lookup table to combine scores in the three categories into a single overall rating. • Determining Summative Ratings • Teachers will earn one of four summative ratings: Ineffective, Needs Improvement, Effective or Highly Effective. • The proposed system uses a lookup table instead of a one-size-fits-all formula to determine summative ratings. • The lookup table makes the system more transparent and accessible than using percentage weights, since teachers can easily see what their rating would be based on a particular combination of scores in the three criteria categories.

Under the proposed system, each teacher will have one individual responsible for his/her appraisal and development. • Appraiser Role and Responsibilities: • Individuals currently permitted to appraise in HISD • Conducts all required observations and conferences • Provides written and verbal feedback • Responsible for ensuring access to development opportunities • Reviews all available sources of evidence to determine a summative rating for each teacher • All appraisers must be trained and receive certification by HISD in implementing the new system. • HISD is currently designing a new appraisal system for school leaders (appraisers) that will align to this new proposed system for teachers.

The collaborative design process has resulted in a proposed new system that is good for students, teachers, and taxpayers. Benefits of the Proposed New Appraisal and Development System The proposed system will help ensure that all students learn from effective teachers every day—which will significantly raise student achievement. The proposed system will give teachers the regular, accurate feedback they deserve as professionals, and will connect them with individualized support that helps them do their best work in the classroom. The proposed system will help HISD identify and hold onto its best teachers and raise the quality of all teaching—which is more important than ever at a time when HISD is going to have to do more with fewer resources. For students For teachers For taxpayers

HISD has laid the groundwork in planning for successful, district-wide implementation of the new system. • Training and Support • Intensive summer training and credentialing of appraisers • Regular, structured support for appraisers throughout the school year • Standardized protocols and forms • Professional Development office reorganization, including creation of the Teacher Development Specialist role • Training for teachers • Continuous Improvement of the System • Ongoing feedback from key stakeholders for system improvements • Continued outreach to SDMCs and DAC for feedback • Continued use of e-mail updates and dedicated website to collect teachers’ and appraisers’ questions and feedback on the new system • Teacher and principal surveys • Integrated Data and Technology Platform • New performance management tools integrated into PeopleSoft • Electronic data collection for monitoring and analysis

For more information, visit www.HISDeffectiveteachers.org.

Effective Teachers Initiative: Designing a New Teacher Appraisal & Development System