Session X: Strengthening Support for Implementation
Thinking Systematically: An Action Planning Workbook to Guide the Implementation of Rigorous
Comprehensive Educator Effectiveness Systems
Measuring Educator
Effectiveness to Improve
Teaching and Learning
June 2-3, 2014 Marriott City Center
The West Comprehensive Center at WestEd in collaboration with the Center for Great
Teachers and Leaders is sponsoring the tenth in a series of regional meetings on Educator
Evaluation Systems. This meeting will focus on strengthening support for implementation.
Supporting State Efforts to Implement Educator Effectiveness Systems
Recent federal priorities and funding opportunities, such as Race to the Top competitions, School Improvement Grants, and ESEA Flexibility Waivers recognize the impact of teachers and leaders on student achievement and emphasize the urgent need to create and implement quality,
comprehensive, strategic systems for evaluating teacher and principal performance in a manner that will identify, support and develop effectiveness and increase student growth. In response, many states have passed legislation mandating the creation and implementation of comprehensive, high-stakes teacher and principal evaluation systems. As state policymakers are responsible for the design, development and implementation of
evaluation systems using multiple measures, including student growth, it is critical that they are familiar with emergent research, promising practices and strategies related to the design of teacher and principal evaluation systems, and recognize and address the capacity issues related to effective implementation. The West Comprehensive Center (WCC) designed this workshop to provide guidance to states as they provide support for the implementation of educator effectiveness systems.
Purpose of this Workbook
The WCC created this action-planning workbook to help states as they determine ways to strengthen implementation of educator effectiveness systems. This workbook takes stakeholders through a series of discussion-based reflections, considerations and action steps that will support implementation in their state. Although additional steps beyond those included are crucial, this workbook can serve as a guide to help frame the workshop sessions to maximize available discussion and planning time. This workbook provides the opportunity to:
•
Reflect on session presentations and examine critical considerations in states’ approaches to implementation.•
Consult with experts on policy implications and challenges in supporting educators to meet new expectations.•
Share information, ideas and resources with state team members.•
Make informed decisions based on thoughtful consideration of available options.Day One: Keynote Address
Tuesday June 2, 2014 (12:30 – 1:25 PM)
The National Landscape: Progress, Challenges and Reflections – Stanley Rabinowitz, WestEd
Notetaking Tool: Use the following organizer to record your notes.
Key Ideas
Questions
Implications for State Plan
Day One: Presentation I
Monday, June 2, 2014 (1:30 – 3:00 PM)
Using Technology Tools to Support Implementation - Jeff Anderson, Samantha Fuhrey, Michael Moody
Notetaking Tool: Use the following organizer to record your notes.
Day One: Presentation II
Monday, June 2, 2014 (3:15 – 4:10 PM)
Reflections on Implementation: Viewpoints from the National Education Association - John Wright, NEA
Notetaking Tool: Use the following organizer to record your notes.
Day One: Working Session I
Monday, June 2, 2014 (4:15 – 5:15 PM)
Planning and Implementation
State team members will share what was learned from workshop sessions that might inform state plans and determine how each state team will make best use of working sessions. Presenters and staff will be available to meet with teams during this session.
Purpose of this working session:
1. Identify what the state team intends to accomplish (objectives) at this meeting.
2. Review and discuss how the information presented and discussion this afternoon can inform your state plan. 3. Use guiding questions to further discussion.
4. Prepare the team’s comments and questions for today’s closing session on a flipchart .
Suggested Tasks and Timelines:
4:15-4:20 Getting Organized: Getting Started
Identify key objectives and outcomes the group plans to accomplish at this workshop. Identify a facilitator, recorder and spokesperson for the group.
4:20 – 5:15 Discussion and Planning
4:20:–4:40 Review notes from today’s presentations (Refer to Notetaking Tools pp 4-6) Discuss take-aways from today’s presentations using Reflection Tool p. 8
4:40-5:00 Plan using your notes, the guiding questions provided, and the team’s discussion.
Identify additional state issues and topics that need to be accomplished during this meeting. Record decisions made and next steps (Use Action Planning Templates 1, 2,3 , pp 18-20). Decide how the team will divide up for Day Two Breakout Sessions. (See Agenda)
Day One: State Team Working Session I
Monday, June 2, 2014 (4:15 – 5:15 PM)
Reflection Tool - Guiding Questions for Discussion
Discussion Questions
Notes
1. In reflecting on today’s presentations, what were your take-aways?
2. Reflecting on your state’s implementation efforts, in what areas has your state made progress?
3. Reflecting on your state’s efforts, what lessons have you learned? 4. How is your state making connections among implementation of CCRS,
educator effectiveness and evaluation, and school improvement? 5. What areas do you think are a need that your state should address?
6. What reform efforts are putting the greatest pressure on educators? What are the pressure points? e.g., Timelines, readiness, capacity, accountability? 7. How might the state initiate attention and support for the areas identified as
greatest need?
8. What are practical courses of action the state can take to address reform fatigue?
e.g., stay the course and strengthen supports; stay the course but make adjustments to policy; delay some reforms. What are constraints/advantages? 9. Which are you most interested in exploring and/or discussing with your
colleagues at this meeting? What do you hope to accomplish while you are here?
10.Review tomorrow’s Breakout Sessions; decide how your team will divide up to attend all three.
Day Two: Breakfast Panel
Tuesday, June 3, 2014 (7:30 – 8:10 AM)
State Panel: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Utah
Notetaking Tool: Use the following organizer to record your notes for discussion during the working session.
State
Notes
Todd Petersen
Arizona Department of
Education
Katy Anthes
Colorado Department of
Education
State
Notes
Dena Durrish
Nevada Department of
Education
Sydnee Dickson
Utah State Office of
Education
Day Two: Presentation III
Tuesday, June 3, 2014 (8:15 – 9:30 AM)
Why all the Headlines? Challenges in Courts of Law and the Court of Public Opinion - Kate Lipper, EducationCounsel LLC
Notetaking Tool: Use this tool to record information you will share with your team in the afternoon working session.
Break Out Sessions
Tuesday, June 3, 2014 (9:40 – 11:45 AM)
Session:_________________________________________________________________________
Day Two: State Team Working Lunch Session II
Tuesday, June 3, 2014 (11:45 – 1:15 PM)
Planning and Implementation
State team members will share what they learned from today’s presentation and breakout sessions that might inform their work. Use the notes from this morning’s presentations and questions on the next page for a de-brief. Presenters and staff will be available to meet with teams during this session.
Purpose of this working session:
1. Review and discuss how today’s presentations can inform your state plan. 2. Share with your colleagues what you learned from the breakout sessions.
3. Determine if/how CGTL professional learning modules might be useful for your context.
4. Discuss opportunities for cross-state discussions during open space. Identify one or two topics for discussion.
Suggested Tasks and Time Management:
12:00 – 12:30 Review notes from today’s presentations.
Discuss guiding question and implications for state plan using Reflection Tool p. 14.
12:30 – 1:00 Plan next steps and record decisions made. Use Action Planning Templates 1, 2, 3 pp 18-20. 1:00– 1:15 Prepare potential topics your team would like to propose during Open Space.
Reflection Tool: For Use during Working Lunch
Questions for Discussion Notes
1. From this morning’s panel discussion, are there state
representatives you would like to follow up with? What topics might you initiate for discussion during open space this
afternoon?
2. What did you learn from Kate Lipper’s presentation you would like to discuss with your colleagues? Given recent legal
developments, are there policies and practices your state may need to revisit?
3. What adjustments/enhancements do we need to make in our communication/training/resources to address implementation challenges?
4. De-brief with your team the breakout session you attended. Are there ways you can use these professional learning modules in your setting? How might they support what you are already doing?
5. What additional supports can be offered to build coherence and capacity to implement current reform initiatives? What
challenges have we identified and how can they be addressed? 6. How can states/districts build stringer partnerships?
Day Two: Open Space Topics
Tuesday, June 3, 2014 (1:30 – 2:30 PM)
Topic I: Designing Systems for Specialized Instructional Support Personnel – Lynn Holdheide, Lindsey Hayes, Center on Great Teachers & Leaders
Others: __________________________________________________________________________________
Notetaking Tool: Use this tool to record information you will share with your team in the afternoon working session.
Day Two: State Team Working Session III
Tuesday, June 3, 2014 (2:40 – 3:40 PM)
Planning and Implementation
State team members will share what they learned from today’s sessions that might inform state plans and this working session. Presenters and staff will be available to meet with teams during this session.
Purpose of this working session:
1. Share Open Space discussions with colleagues.
2. Use guiding questions to further consider relevant issues to strengthen your state’s capacity building efforts. 3. Prepare the team’s comments for today’s closing session on flipchart.
Suggested Tasks and Time Management:
2:40 – 3:00 Share and discuss take aways from Open space discussions with other states.
3:00 – 3:20 Plan next steps and record decisions made. Use Reflection Questions on the next page and Action Planning Templates 1, 2, 3 pp 18-20.
Day Two: State Teams Working Session III
Tuesday, June 3, 2014 (2:40 – 3:40 PM)
Reflection Tool: Guiding Questions for Final Working Session
Questions for Discussion Notes Implications/Next Steps
1. What are the key discussion points and/or decisions we made as a team?
2. What are our urgent priorities and what are our next steps in addressing them?
3. To what degree do we have a plan to address reform fatigue?
4. What are our biggest challenges/constraints? 5. What assistance will we need? Where will we
go to get it? What resources do we have? 6. How can we engage partners in this effort?
ACTION PLANNING TOOLS
Template 1: Team Wrap-up and Overall Action Plan (for use during working sessions)
As a team and individually, use this space for notes and reminders that summarize outcomes and identify next steps and action items that will serve as a reference when you return to your state. What is required of the team? What will you need to do?
Template 2: Personal Action Plan (for use during working sessions)
My Next Steps:
My Action Items:
Template 3: Mapping Our Plan 2014-2017 (for use during working sessions)
Where are we headed?
History Map and Future Work: Measuring Educator Effectiveness Regional Collaborative
2010
2011
2012
2013–2017
AC TI VI TI ES•Establish regional collaborative to address educator evaluation systems at request of SEAs - Experts present on design and
implementation
- Practitioners present models and approaches
- Working and networking sessions provide opportunities for states to develop plans, policies, and professional development components • Collaborative Workshop:
Designing a Comprehensive System (September, Denver)
Collaborative Workshops:
•Using Student Growth Measures in Tested and Non-Tested Subjects (January, Phoenix)
•Using Multiple Measures and the Results to Make Informed
Decisions (April, Salt Lake City) •Implementing a Comprehensive
System – Data Needs,
Communication, Training and Evaluation (August, Lake Tahoe) •Principal Evaluation (December,
Denver)
Collaborative Workshops: •Weighting Multiple Measures
and Piloting Early Models (April, Scottsdale)
• What We Are Learning – Legal Defensibility – Connecting Evaluation to Common Core Standards - State Models and Approaches (August, Salt Lake City)
Planned Collaborative Workshops:
• Making Adjustments Based on Pilot Data
• Principal Capacity and Evaluation
• Using Data for Performance- based Compensation,
Professional Development, Tenure, and Other Decisions • Data Systems
• Aligning Evaluation With Teacher Preparation Programs
PAR
TI
CIP
AN
TS Attended by policymakers, SEAs, association leaders, and
stakeholder groups responsible for state frameworks, policy recommendations to State Boards of Education and implementation
Attended by policymakers, SEAs, association leaders, and stakeholder groups responsible for state
frameworks, policy
recommendations to State Boards of Education and implementation
Attended by policymakers, SEAs, association leaders, and
stakeholder groups responsible for state frameworks, policy recommendations to State Boards of Education and implementation
Attended by policymakers, SEAs, association leaders, and
stakeholder groups responsible for state frameworks, policy recommendations to State Boards of Education and implementation OU TC OM ES •AZ passes HB 1040 •CO passes SB 191
•UT forms Advisory Committee •NV forms Advisory Committee
•AZ, CO, UT present
recommendation to respective State Boards; state frameworks are approved
•NV passes legislation establishing educator evaluation system based on student growth
•AZ passes HB 2823 adjusting timelines; additional conditions •CO pilots principal evaluation •UT passes legislation aligned
with board policy
•NV recommendations to State Board
•Adjustments to frameworks •Development of data systems •Reporting and monitoring
processes
•Performance-based compensation
•Aligned teacher preparation programs and CCSS work
