Unit 2: APPR and SLO basics
Objectives
1. The learner will understand and recall pertinent information about APPR mandate requirements and how it affects them.
2. The learner will be able to use provided resources to seek information on APPR mandates in NYS.
APPR Basics
Background Information
As of July, 2012, it is mandated by the New York State Education Department that a school adopt a new Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) plan. The APPR plan in addition to student assessment performance will now dictate a teachers evaluation. In the past it has been up to the individual school districts to evaluate their teachers. In the wake of the new Race to the Top initiative for federal funding, New York state has developed the new APPR mandates in an effort to improve the state's education performance.
Controversy
In my discussions with other teacher about the subject I have found the following statement to be the most resonant with the general idea of public school teachers. The intentions of the mandates are good, to improve teacher performance and thus student performance. However, the implementation of the mandate has been questionable and too hasty, creating a lot of gaps and unanswered questions. As with any new mandate, it takes time and money for school districts to adapt in an adequate fashion. With the advent of this mandate, neither of those have been allowed for by NYSED.
How it Works
The basic makeup of the new APPR score that a teacher will receive is as follows.
Classroom Observation (1 planned, 1 unannounced) - 60%
State Growth Score (Standardized tests, Student Learning Objectives) - 20-25%
Local Growth Measures (Adopted by district, approved by NYSED) - 15-20%
All of these "scores" combined will determine a teacher's effectiveness. The teacher receives a "HEDI" score which will place them on a classification of "Highly Effective", "Effective", "Developing", and "Ineffective". If a teacher is found to be developing or ineffective, the district is to design a teacher improvement plan for that individual.
Observation 60%
Under the new mandate it is required that each district submit an APPR plan outlining how they plan to observe their teachers. Each teacher must have at least two observations withing one school year. One of those observations must be unannounced and unplanned.
Also in this portion, school districts may decide to also use other means of assessment, such as a portfolio or evidence binder. Using these tools, in conjunction with the observations, districts can get a whole picture of a teacher's professional performance.
State 20%
If more than 50% of your students take a NYS grades 4-8 ELA or Math assessment, then your the students scores, in comparison to the scores they received the year before, will count for your state determined 20%.
All other must create Student Learning Objectives (SLO). The SLO is a plan to measure student growth over the course of the school year. Basically, the students are assessed on the course content at the beginning of the year (pre-assessment) and then a goal or target is set withing the SLO. Then at the end of the year student will take another exam (post-assessment). This can be a NYS Regents examination if your course has one. The teacher's score is determined by how many students met the set target, NOT by their score on the post-assessment. The purpose is to show student growth, not necessarily overall knowledge.
This is the most difficult portion for most teachers, as it tends to be time consuming and vague in its requirements. When developing your SLOs be sure to seek advice from an administrator, who should be well versed in the matter.
If your district is using a "value-added" model, then this portion should count for 25% of your overall evaluation.
Local 20%
This portion may be similar to the State 20% and is more flexible in nature. It may also be very different. Each district must include in their APPR plan how they intend on evaluating this 20%. Schools can choose to use the same assessment for all of their teachers, or each teacher can develop their own. However, if the district decides to use the same materials assessed in the State 20%, then it must be graded or used differently. For more information on this portion, it is best to speak to your school administrator, as it may be different from district to district.
If your district is using a "value-added" model, then this portion will only count for 15% of your total evaluation.
What a teacher must do
First and foremost, as you would tell your students, DO YOUR HOMEWORK!
It is hard to balance planning, teaching, having a life out of school, and keeping your sanity. However, if you want to prove that you are a successful teacher, you must take the time to learn the new mandates.
Also, meet with an administrator who is in charge of APPR in your district. Make a list of questions and get all answers you need. Also, be patient with your administrator if they do not have the answer right away. Many things are still in question with NYSED and some questions may take time to get answers. You may also want to meet with someone on your districts APPR committee.
Guide for References
For anything education related in New York State, Engagneny.org is an excellent resource. It contains all information and documents needed to inform you about the APPR process and implementation. Below are a few links to different areas of the site I found most helpful.
Engage NY Teacher/Leader Effectiveness. http://engageny.org/resource/teacherleader-effectiveness-evaluation
Engage NY SLO 101 for Teachers. http://www.engageny.org/resource/student-learning-objectives/
Engage NY State Growth Measures. http://www.engageny.org/resource/resources-about-state-growth-measures
Reflection Questions
1. How have the new APPR mandates affected your teaching? Have there been both positive and negative impacts on your teaching?
2. How will you prepare, or continue to prepare, to adapt to the new APPR mandates?
Next Unit
Unit 3: Putting it all Together