Evaluation System Guide

EVALUATION

SYSTEM GUIDE

SEPTEmbEr 2016 • www.wvea.org

This brochure provides a brief outline and description of the evaluation system in place for West Virginia teachers. The evaluation system, as set in Policy 5310, is done online and requires everyone to have a WVEIS on the Web (WOW) account set up in their name.

The information in this brochure reflects the actions taken by the state Board of Education during their September 2016 regular meeting.

Board members decided to waive the requirement that 5 percent of a teacher’s evaluation would be based on the schoolwide growth scores in math and reading. They also decided once again to NOT tie student test scores on the Smarter Balanced to 15 percent of math and English/language arts teachers’ evaluations. The two student learning goals will now make up 20 percent of an evaluation.

Additional information regarding the evaluation process can be found on the WVEA website at www.wvea.org.

General Framework

The evaluation employs the five professional teaching standards to provide explicit and extensive details of the work of teaching in the 21st century. These five standards define what teachers must know and be able to do. The evaluation also includes performance standards through goal setting that evaluate outcomes and other essential aspects of professional teaching.

Standard 1: Curriculum and Planning
Standard 2: The Learner and the Learning Environment
Standard 3: Teaching
Standard 4: Professional Responsibilities for Self-Renewal
Standard 5: Professional Responsibilities for School and Community Standard 6: Student Learning
Standard 7: Professional Conduct

Summative Rating (Weighting)

The evaluation provides educators with summative ratings for their performance using one of the four levels of performance: Distinguished, Accomplished, Emerging or Unsatisfactory. Each standard is given a predetermined weight. The following table shows how the final summative rating is calculated based on the weights of individual standards.

Standard 1: Curriculum and Planning
Standard 2: The Learner and The Learning Environment Standard 3: Teaching
Standard 4: Professional Responsibilities for Self-Renewal Standard 5: Professional Responsibilities for School

17.14% 17.14% 17.14% 11.44%

Standard

Weight

and Community Standard 6: Student Learning

Total

17.14% 20%

80%

100%

Student Learning Goals Standard 7: Professional Conduct

20%

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Levels of Performance

The evaluation recognized four distinct levels of performance to describe the quality of teaching within West Virginia classrooms. Rubrics guide the determination of specific performance levels.

Evaluators select a performance level from the rubric that best describes current, actual educator practice – not a future expectation – for a particular element. Educators, likewise, select from the rubric a performance level that best describes current practice when completing the self-reflection.

Distinguished

Accomplished

Emerging

Unsatisfactory

Distinguished performance describes professional teaching that engages students to be highly responsible for their own learning. Performing at this level involves contributing to the professional learning of others through teacher leadership.

accomplished performance describes professional teaching that exhibits mastery of the work of teaching while improving practice and serving the professional community.

emerging performance represents teaching that demonstrates knowledge and skills to implement essential elements albeit not always successfully at times.

Unsatisfactory performance describes teaching that does not convey suf cient understanding of concepts or the successful implementation of essential elements.

Self-Re ection (Must be completed by Oct. 1)

Professional Teaching Standards

Educators on all progressions complete a self-reflection to assess actual professional practice related to the five Professional Teaching Standards. Educators use rubrics developed for the standards to identify a specific performance level for each element. Educators determine performance level ratings within the rubrics based on preponderance of the evidence. Educators must provide evidence to support any Distinguished performance level rating within the self-reflection. Some examples of evidence are: assessment data, anecdotal records, portfolio, student feedback and technology integration.

Educators provide evidence to support the determination of performance level ratings for the five professional teaching standards. Performance level ratings are based on the preponderance of the evidence. Evaluators will not use checklists to determine ratings.

1.1 The teacher demonstrates a deep and extensive knowledge of the subject matter.

Evaluators review self-reflections prepared by educators and may request additional evidence to support performance level ratings. However, evaluators cannot alter the actual performance level ratings chosen by educators when completing the self- reflection component of the West Virginia Evaluation System for Teachers.

2.3 The teacher establishes and maintains a learner-centered culture.

Standard 1 – Curriculum and Planning

1.2 The teacher designs standards-driven instruction using state- approved curricula.

1.3 The teacher uses a balanced assessment approach to guide student learning.

2.1 The teacher understands and responds to the unique characteristics of learners.

Standard 2 – The Learner and the Learning Environment

2.2 The teacher establishes and maintains a safe and appropriate learning environment.

3.1 The teacher utilizes a variety of research-based instructional strategies.

Standard 3 – Teaching

3.2 The teacher motivates and engages students in learning, problem solving and collaboration.

3.3 The teacher adjusts instruction based on a variety of assessments and student responses.

PROFESSIONAL TEACHING STANDARDS CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

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Professional Teaching Standards CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2Standard 4 – Professional Responsibilities for Self-Renewal

4.1 The teacher engages in professional development for self-renewal that guides continuous examination and improvement of professional practice.

4.2 The teacher actively engages in collaborative learning opportunities for self-renewal with colleagues.

5.1 The teacher participates in school-wide collaborative efforts to support the success of all students.
5.2 The teacher works with parents, guardians, families and community entities to support student learning and

Standard 5 – Professional Responsibilities for School and Community

well-being.
5.3 The teacher promotes practices and policies that improve school environment and student learning.

Standard 6 – Student Learning (20%)

6.1 The work of the teacher results in measurable progress of student learning of state-approved curricula.

Student Learning Goals (20%) – Educators must present specific evidence of their students’ progress in learning through multiple measures as part of the Student Learning performance standard. Educators in all three progressions must set at least two student learning goals and collect evidence from multiple measures to validate student learning progress. One goal shall include a consideration of gaps in subgroup performances. Teachers in grades K-3 shall include a goal to address increasing reading proficiency. All evidence for the Student Learning performance standard must meet three criteria: 1) Two data points; 2) Rigorous; and 3) Comparable across classrooms. Student learning goals should be submitted by November 1.

Standard 7 – Professional Conduct

This performance standard sets clear criteria for those competencies and habits of mind without which professional teaching simply cannot occur. The Professional Conduct standard allows educators to address areas of concern without necessitating an improvement plan. The Professional Conduct performance standard does not, however, supplant code and policy to which educators remain fully accountable and is not determinative of whether behavior is correctable. Certain violations may be changed by implementation of an improvement plan; others will require immediate action.

7.1 The teacher demonstrates professional conduct as defined in law, policy and procedure at the state, district and school level.

Meets Standard

Below Standard

Unsatisfactory

Policy and Procedure

adheres to state, district and school policy and procedure

adheres to state, district and school policy and procedure with few exceptions

Demonstrates a pattern of violating state, district or school policy and procedure

Attendance

adheres to state, district and school attendance policy and procedure

adheres to state, district and school attendance policy and procedure with few exceptions

Demonstrates a pattern of absences that violate state, district or school attendance policy and procedure

Schedule

adheres to state, district and school work schedule policy and procedure

adheres to state, district and school work schedule policy and procedure with few exceptions

Demonstrates a pattern of failure to adhere to the work schedule de ned by state, district or school policy and procedure

Respect

interacts professionally with students, parents/guardians, colleagues and community

interacts professionally with students, parents/guardians, colleagues and community with few exceptions

Demonstrates a pattern of behavior with students, parents/guardians, colleagues and/or community which is unprofessional

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Observation

Observation provides a view of teacher practice and the opportunity to collect data to evaluate educator performance. Evidence collected during observation helps educators clarify strengths and identify areas for growth. Observations within the evaluation system are designed for educators on the Initial and Intermediate progressions.

1. Evaluators conduct four observations per year for educators on the Initial Progression. Two of these observations are scheduled with educators. One scheduled observation is completed in the fall; the other is completed in the spring. Observations last the length of a lesson but not less than 30 minutes.

Initial and Intermediate Progressions

2. Evaluators conduct two observations per year for educators on the Intermediate Progression. One observation is completed in the fall; the other is completed in the spring. One of these observations is scheduled with educators. Observations last the length of a lesson but not less than 30 minutes.

3. Evaluators record data using the Observation form.
4. Educators complete the Evidence form and submit it electronically to their evaluators within five days after the

observation. The Evidence form provides the mechanism for documenting evidence about the observation as well as other evidence essential to understanding educator performance related to the elements for the Professional Teaching Standards.

5. Evaluators submit the Observation form electronically to educators prior to the conference.
6. Evaluators schedule and conduct a conference with educators within 10 days of the observation. Educators and evaluators exchange reflection and feedback and identify strategies and resources. They likewise review any

additional evidence presented at the conference.
7. Evidence accumulated as part of the Observation is included in the summative performance rating.

1. Educators on the Advanced Progression complete a self-reflection of their performance for the elements related to the Professional Teaching Standards and submit it electronically to their evaluators. Any performance rating at the Distinguished level requires evidence to be noted in the system.

Advanced Progression

2. Educators and evaluators meet to review Student Learning Goals and the educator self-reflection. Any evidence presented at the conference is also reviewed.

3. Evaluators identify elements for which additional evidence will be necessary to establish the final summative rating. 4. Educators submit required evidence prior to the end-of-year conference.
5. Evaluators review the educator self-reflection as well as any evidence submitted and complete the summative

performance rating which is transmitted electronically to educators.
6. Evaluators and educators convene an end-of-year conference.
7. At any time, educators in the Advanced Progression may request an observation be conducted by the evaluator.

Evidence Collection

Professional Teaching Standards - Educators provide evidence to support the determination of performance level ratings for the five professional teaching standards. Performance level ratings are based on the preponderance of the evidence. Educators and evaluators may refer to the recommended evidence that has been developed for each professional teaching standard.

Student Learning - Educators present specific evidence of their students’ progress in learning through multiple measures as part of the Student Learning performance standard. Educators in all three progressions must set two student learning goals and collect evidence from multiple measures to validate student learning progress.

Professional Conduct - Evidence for Professional Conduct would only be necessary in the event of an educator not adhering to the performance standard.

Self Re ection - Educators must provide evidence to support any Distinguished performance level rating within the self-reflection. Evaluators may request additional evidence to support performance level ratings.

Goal Setting - Educators submit evidence for each goal to validate progress of student learning and briefly describe results on both Student Learning Goal forms.

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Evaluation System For Teachers

Timelines

• Educators complete self-reflection and begin working on student learning goals

Beginning of year – October 1st

• Evaluators complete first observations for those on initial and intermediate progressions • Educators submit student learning goals

Beginning of year – November 1st

• Evaluators complete second observation for those on initial progression

November 1st – January 1st

• Evaluators complete third observation for those on initial progression

January 1st – March 1st

• Evaluators complete final observations for those on initial and intermediate progressions • Educators submit evidence for student learning goals

• Convene year-end conference and complete summative performance rating

March 1st – May 1st

Prior to last day for teachers but no later than June 15th

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Plans to Support Continuous Improvement

Focused Support Plan

Corrective Action Plan

The focused support plan is a proactive, preventative measure that supports individual improvement and professional growth. The focused support plan may commence only after a purposeful conversation and when there is documented evidence indicating an area of concern based on one or more of the five performance standards. An educator can only be placed on a focused support plan/corrective action plan after at least one observation is completed.

The corrective action plan is typically initiated when a focused support plan results in inadequate progress and when an evaluation is completed that shows unsatisfactory performance based on one or more of the five performance standards. However, certain instances of misconduct as specified in W.Va. Code 18A-2-8 may require immediate action and/or a corrective action plan. The corrective action plan may address unsatisfactory performance involving student learning goals when in conjunction with one or more of the five performance standards. School-wide student growth performance levels cannot be considered in a corrective action plan. An educator can only be placed on a focused support plan/corrective action plan after at least one observation is completed. The corrective action plan spans 18 weeks and may commence at any time during the school year.

The following supports may be considered to meet individual needs:

• Professional development
• Coaching/Instructional support • Mentoring
• Peer observation
• Programs of study
• Other supports and resources

The corrective action plan is determinative and may not be repeated. Evidence of adequate progress must be demonstrated by the conclusion of the 18-week corrective action plan. If evidence does not demonstrate that adequate progress has been made at the conclusion of the 18-week period, termination for unsatisfactory performance shall ensue. The area of unsatisfactory performance guides the choice of evidence within a corrective action plan that may include observation if appropriate.

The focused support plan must include the following essential components:

• Identified area of concern with reference to the standard(s) to be addressed

• Expectations for change
• 9-week timeline for implementation
• Resources for support, including referral to other

educators

Educators remain on their current progression while implementing a corrective action plan.

The focused support plan may address an area of concern involving student learning goals when in conjunction with one or more of the five performance standards. School-wide student growth performance levels cannot be considered in a focused support plan.

Evaluators must identify other educators, either within the school or county, to be used as resources during a corrective action plan.

At the conclusion of the 9-week focused support plan, if evidence demonstrates that the standard has been met, then the plan is successfully completed. If evidence demonstrates that adequate progress has been made, the focused support plan will continue for a second 9-week period. In the event of inadequate progress on the standard related to the area of concern, an evaluation will be completed and a corrective action plan will be initiated.

The corrective action plan must include the following essential components:

• Identified area of unsatisfactory performance with reference to the standard(s) to be addressed

• Timeline for implementation
• Resources for support, including referral to other

educators

Performance in a Single Element

Unsatisfactory performance related to a single element is addressed through quality sustained job-embedded professional development and support. Two consecutive unsatisfactory performance-level summative ratings related to the same element are addressed through evaluation based on the rubrics associated with Standard 4 - Professional Responsibilities for Self-Renewal that stipulate professional self-renewal as a requirement. Unsatisfactory performance related to a single element cannot initiate a corrective action plan.

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