Teacher Evaluation Reform: A Global Perspective Dr. Michael Kuchar, Superintendent of Bergenfield Public Schools

1. Teacher Evaluation Reform: A Global Perspective Dr. Michael Kuchar, Superintendent of Bergenfield Public Schools

2. National CCS are here

3. PARTNERSHIP FOR ASSESSMENT OF READINESS FOR COLLEGE AND CAREERS (PARCC)

4. Building a Pathway to College and Career Readiness for All Students K-2 formative assessment being developed, aligned to the PARCC system Timely student achievement data showing students, parents and educators whether ALL students are on-track to college and career readiness College readiness score to identify who is ready for college-level coursework • Targeted interventions & supports: • 12th-grade bridge courses • PD for educators SUCCESS IN FIRST-YEAR, CREDIT-BEARING, POSTSECONDARY COURSEWORK ONGOING STUDENT SUPPORTS/INTERVENTIONS

5. PARCC Timeline Through Fall 2014 PARCC Tools & Resources Partnership Resource Center launched K-2 tools development begins Professional development modules released College-ready tools released Diagnostic assessments released Fall 2014 Fall 2012 Winter 2013 Spring 2013 Summer 2013 Fall 2013 Winter 2014 Spring 2014 Summer 2014 Pilot/field testing begins Full-scale pilot/field testing begins Full administration of PARCC assessments PARCC Assessment Implementation

6. Excellent Educators for New Jersey (EE4NJ) Bergenfield Public School District

7. Linking Student Achievement to Teacher Practice • More than two decades of research findings are unequivocal about the critical connection between teacher effectiveness and student learning. The research shows that student achievement is strongly related to teacher quality; highly skilled teachers produce improved student results.

8. About the EE4NJ Pilot Program NJ is the 27th State to take on the teacher evaluation reform initiative.

9. Teacher Effectiveness Evaluation System Teacher Evaluation 100% Student Achievement (outputs of learning) 50% of total evaluation Teacher Practice (inputs associated with learning) 50% of total evaluation • Measures of Student Achievement include: • Student achievement on state-approved assessments or performance-based evaluations, representing 35%-45% of the evaluation; and • State-approved school-wide performance measure, representing 5% of the evaluation. • Districts have the option of also including additional performance measures. • Measures of Teacher Practice include: • Use of a state-approved teacher practice evaluation framework and measurement tools to collect and review evidence of teacher practice, including classroom observation as a major component, representing 25%-47.5%; and • At least one additional tool to assess teacher practice, representing 2.5%-25%.

10. 50% Student Achievement • Measures of student achievement include: • Student growth on state-approved assessments or performance-based evaluations. • State-approved school-wide performance measure. • Districts have the option of also including additional performance measures. • Bergenfield may use aggregated growth of subgroups, utilizing SAT, ACT, AP, N.W.E.A, Renaissance Learning, and/or writing portfolios.

11. 50% Teacher Practice • Use of a state-approved teacher practice evaluation framework and measurement tools to collect and review evidence of teacher practice, including: • Classroom observation as a major component. • At least one additional tool to assess teacher practice. • Bergenfield chose the Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching, while the District Evaluation Pilot Advisory Committee is working with NJDOE to select the additional tool.

12. About the Danielson Model: • The Danielson Framework for Teaching will provide meaningful feedback on teaching performance on an annual basis by ensuring that evaluators are exceptional. • Encourages and tracks multiple measures of teacher performance and student performance, with student academic progress or growth as a key measure. • Evaluators will be trained to provide summative rating that combines the scores of all the measures of teaching practice and student achievement. • Contains diverse and distinct summative rating categories that clearly differentiate levels of performance. • As the district has been doing for the past few years, there will be a clear link from evaluation to professional development, as administrators and teachers, together, plan interventions to address both student and teacher needs.

14. Our focus must not be on the one or two underperforming teachers, rather the wide range of mediocrity- not due to laziness or lack of effort on part of teacher, but rather a lack of support, direction, and technical skill.

15. Who is driving the bus to lead better teacher reform through evaluations? School Administrators! What is the quality control? 5D Assessment- University of Washington- Quantitative Survey our teachers- Qualitative. Results Professional Development for Bergenfield Administrators

16. 5D Assessment University of Washington

17. Trained all Administrators on:Evaluator BiasCollecting Evidence of LearningValue Added ObservationShift Paradigm from expert to colleague( Will know in June how effective we were based on inter-rater reliability study with pre and post 5D assessments)

18. Typical Observation Process 1 2 5 4 3

19. Administrator-Teacher Discourse Of all the approaches available to educators to promote teacher learning, the most powerful is that of professional conversation. Talk About Teaching! Charlotte Danielson 2009, Corwin Press

20. Considering Bias Packet Page 4

21. What do you think about when you hear the word “evidence”?

22. Evidence: JUST THE FACTS! Evidence is a factual reporting of events. It may include teacher and student actions and behaviors. It may also include artifacts prepared by the teacher or students. It is not clouded with personal opinion or bias.

23. Sources of Evidence • Observations of practice • Conferences • Samples of student work • Teacher artifacts Making the Most of Teacher Evaluation, Charlotte Danielson

24. Goal: Improve teaching practice • Milestones: • General Understanding of the Framework (rubrics) • Self-Assess Teaching Practice • Share Successful Strategies The Framework for Teaching Charlotte Danielson

25. Valid Observation Criteria Systematic Classroom Observation Low-inference Data Evidence Objectivity The Framework for Teaching Charlotte Danielson

26. System for Collaborative Teacher Evaluation and Professional Learning 1 2 5 4 3 Packet Page 12

27. Domain 1: Planning and Preparation • Demonstrating Knowledge of Content and Pedagogy • Demonstrating Knowledge of Students • Setting Instructional Outcomes • Demonstrating Knowledge of Resources • Designing Coherent Instruction • Designing Student Assessments • Domain 2: The Classroom Environment • Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport • Establishing a Culture for Learning • Managing Classroom Procedures • Managing Student Behavior • Organizing Physical Space • Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities • Reflecting on Teaching • Maintaining Accurate Records • Communicating with Families • Participating in a Professional • Community • Growing and Developing Professionally • Showing Professionalism • Domain 3: Instruction • Communicating with Students • Using Questioning and Discussion • Techniques • Engaging Students in Learning • Using Assessment in Instruction • Demonstrating Flexibility and Responsiveness Framework for Teaching The Framework for Teaching Charlotte Danielson

28. Training Evaluators and Teachers • The district has implemented a rigorous training and certification process in which evaluators will participate in face to face training, and online learning using master-scored videos. • Evaluators will be expected to pass a performance-based assessment before being certified by the district as ready to evaluate teachers. • By ensuring a high bar for observer mastery, the district will build in fairness to teachers, who deserve to be evaluated by trained, highly skilled evaluators. • This plan engages teachers, as well, through the use of face-to-face professional development and online training resources. • This combination of services and tools for training and certifying raters, as well as training and resources for teachers, delivered by the Danielson Group and Teachscape will enhance what the district has already begun.

29. Evaluation Data Collection and Management • Data has never used more heavily in the history of Bergenfield Public School District. • Data is linked to teachers, allowing principals and department chairs to review the scores of different classrooms • BPSD has continuously measured progress using real data to shape classroom learning. • By using this performance management system, the district will streamline the evaluation process while at the same time enhancing its rigor. • The District is focused on Student Growth vs Proficiency

30. State-aligned computerized adaptive assessments that provide accurate, useful information about student achievement and growth • Tailored reports give educators information to guide decisions • NWEA/RenLearn classroom resources help teachers directly apply test results to instructional planning

31. NWEA • BPSD has continuously used Northwestern Evaluation Association (NWEA) assessments. • Students take online intuitive interactive tests to produce a RIT score. • The RIT Scale is a curriculum scale that uses individual item difficulty values to estimate student achievement.  • NWEA has allowed the district to assess students 3 times per year in grades, 3, 4, and 5 in reading and math. • Offers flexibility and enables teachers to intervene in the middle of the school year. • Scores allow teachers to tailor lessons to students who are grouped by identified need.

32. Renaissance Learning • For 2011-2012, the district decided to gather even more data, as the district will be expanding use of Renaissance Learning products to assess reading, math and early literacy. Grades 1-11 will all have formative assessments by either NWEA or Ren Learn. • These brief assessments have been proven to be extremely accurate and will provide even more flexibility within the classroom.

33. Bergenfield’s Outcomes Based on evidence our observations have become a treasure hunt versus

34. Versus a witch hunt Let’s get rid of our most expensive teacher???

35. Utilize our own Human Capital to help each other • One 5th grade teacher had 90% of her students Advanced Proficient in Math for 3 years in a row when district average was 20% • Best practices are identified and shared within building and within district through a Best Practice Wiki • Identify students by individual skill versus wide range of support • Give parents access to Ren Learn and NWEA for skill support • Involve all staff in process. It is not the programs that are effective, it is the people who use the programs. Expansive Leadership. Utilize the experts in you buildings- the teachers. • Administrators must be honest and committed to continuous growth of the teacher. If everything is always great, are we not really just infantilizing the teacher? We all can and must keep growing.

36. Summary • Every District should have a DEEAC- District Effective Educator Evaluator Committee • Every District will have to pilot a teacher evaluation tool in 9/12 • Every district should be curriculum mapping/ revision to align with NCCS • Every district should be preparing for the transition to the PARCC assessments for Fall of 2014 • If the curricula revisions are not complete and implemented by 9/2013 our students will not have optimum positioning for taking PARCC assessments in 2014. • Utilize these changes to make your school and district better. It has always started and ended with the most important variable in education- the classroom teacher.