aspire award program

ASPIRE Award Program2007

This new program is an expansion and refinement of HISD’spast efforts to recognize highly effective teachers as part of adifferentiated-compensation program. After evaluating therollout of the program’s new progress-based criteria last yearand receiving feedback from our stakeholders, we now knowthat more and better training and communication were neededto help everyone understand the changes. A committee ofteachers, administrators, and others conducted extensiveresearch and identified ways to improve this program. Thenew ASPIRE Award Program is the result of these efforts.

Recognizing and Rewarding Excellence

The new ASPIRE Award Program will award thehighest bonuses—up to $7,300—to teachers of coreacademic subjects, including reading, math, languagearts, science, and social studies, for their individualsuccess in helping students improve academically.The new program also rewards groups of teachers fortheir successful teamwork and all instructional-staffmembers whose campuses make the highest amountof comparable improvement or earn the highestratings under the Texas accountability system.

HISD is committedto recognizing andcelebrating the manyhighly effective teachersproducing studentswho achieve and makeprogress at the highestlevels. As such, we arepleased to introducethe ASPIRE AwardProgram.

HISD is committedto recognizing andcelebrating the manyhighly effective teachersproducing studentswho achieve and makeprogress at the highestlevels. As such, we arepleased to introducethe ASPIRE AwardProgram.

The ASPIRE Award Program Includes:

• Use of value-added analysis to identify the campuses and teacherswhose students make the greatest academic progress each year.

• Opportunities for differentiated compensation.

• New career-path models built around ASPIRE Awards.

• Various vehicles for ASPIRE Award schools and teachers to sharebest practices and allow others to benefit from their expertise.

A key component of the ASPIRE educational improvement modelis using high-quality data sources, particularly value-added analysis,to guide instructional decision-making. Value-added analysis is astatistical method used to measure teachers’ and schools’ impact onstudents’ academic progress rates from year to year. Beginning thisyear, HISD will use value-added analysis, provided via Dr. WilliamSanders’ EVAAS® model, to measure student progress at the school,grade, subject, and teacher levels. EVAAS® is recognized as themost statistically rigorous model for calculating value-addedanalysis nationwide.

ASPIRE Award Program

Very few of these recognition programsexist nationwide. We are pleased to offerthis benefit to our staff members and areconfident that it will allow us to betterinform practice, reward excellence,and support collaboration to improve teaching and learning.

A S P I R E A W A R D P R O G R A MH I G H L I G H T S

• Opportunity to opt in/out of receiving bonuses

• Attendance bonus available to all instructional staff

• New ASPIRE portal provides resources and information

• Campus-level value-added reports availableto all employees at campuses and regions

• Teacher-level value-added reports availableto each teacher and kept confidential

• ASPIRE verification system allows teachersto verify their own student rosters

ASPIRE Award Program Eligibility RequirementsTo be eligible for ASPIRE awards and bonuses, all HISD employees mustmeet the following general eligibility requirements:• Complete the testing year

• Return to the district as an employee at the beginning of the new testing year

• Be active on the payroll, with no break in service at the time bonuses aredistributed. Family Medical Leave (FML), assault leave, and military leaveare not considered breaks in service

• Be in good standing, not under investigation, or reassigned pending investigationat the time bonuses are distributed. Employees are ineligible for bonuses untilany investigation is concluded and the employee is cleared of the allegation.If the investigation is concluded with a confirmation of inappropriate employeebehavior, then the employee is ineligible to receive a bonus as part of the ASPIREAward Program.

• Employees who resign or are terminated prior to the time bonuses are distributedare ineligible for a bonus.

• Employees who retire and do not return at the beginning of the new testing yearare eligible for a bonus. HISD recognizes one retirement. Retirees who are rehiredmust meet all eligibility requirements just like any other district employee and arenot treated as “first-time retirees” for purposes of the ASPIRE Award Program.

Additional requirements apply. For detailed information, visit the ASPIRE portal at www.houstonisd.org/ASPIRE.


TIMELINEAugust 2007

Principals and teachersverify student rosters.

September 2007Principals and teacherscontinue to verify studentrosters.

ASPIRE portal launched.

HISD Board of Educationreviews/approves ASPIREAward Program.

October 2007ASPIRE Core and Campusteams receive value-addedtraining.

November 2007Principals and teachersreceive value-added reports.

December 2007Principals and teachersreview and finalizeproposed ASPIRE awardsand bonuses.

January 2008Eligible teachers and staffreceive ASPIRE awardsand bonuses.

Spring 2008HISD interviews highlyeffective teachers to capturebest-practice case studies.


TIMELINEAugust 2007

Principals and teachersverify student rosters.

September 2007Principals and teacherscontinue to verify studentrosters.

ASPIRE portal launched.

HISD Board of Educationreviews/approves ASPIREAward Program.

October 2007ASPIRE Core and Campusteams receive value-addedtraining.

November 2007Principals and teachersreceive value-added reports.

December 2007Principals and teachersreview and finalizeproposed ASPIRE awardsand bonuses.

January 2008Eligible teachers and staffreceive ASPIRE awardsand bonuses.

Spring 2008HISD interviews highlyeffective teachers to capturebest-practice case studies.

Awarded to all HISD instructional and non-instructional staff whose campusmeets the following criteria:

• The campus’ composite 2007 Mean NCE Gain* is above “0,” indicating that theaverage academic growth in all core subjects for their students in grades 3–12 isabove the average for students with similar academic histories, AND

• The campus’ composite Gain Score** ranked in the top 50% of all HISDelementary or secondary campuses.

S T R A N D IH I G H L I G H T S

• Treats all instructional staff equally

• Pays instructional and non-instructionalstaff on campus-level value-addedscores

• Eliminates the need to groupcampuses by economicallydisadvantaged status

• Allows campuses with high-achievingand low-achieving students to showimprovement

• Campus data available on theASPIRE portal

* 2007 Mean NCE Gain represents students’ average academic growth across all core subjects andgrade levels. A campus’ 2007 Mean NCE Gain can be found on EVAAS® school value-added reports.

** Gain Score is a campus’ composite value-added score in relation to the uncertainty associated withthe calculation. Campus’ Gain Scores can be found using the EVAAS® school search feature.

Campus Progress Award

STRAND

I

Bonuses are based on staff ’spercentage of assigned timeto an awarded campus. Thoseassigned to more than onecampus are eligible to receiveprorated bonuses based onthe progress of each campusthey are assigned.

Non-Instructional StaffM A X I M U M A W A R D $500

% Assigned Rank from Rank fromto Campus 100–75% 74–50%

100% $500 $25080% $400 $20060% $300 $15050% $250 $12540% $200 $10020% $100 $50

Campus Progress Award Instructional StaffM A X I M U M A W A R D $1,000

% Assigned Rank from Rank fromto Campus 100–75% 74–50%

100% $1,000 $50080% $800 $40060% $600 $30050% $500 $25040% $400 $20020% $200 $100

Instructional StaffM A X I M U M

A W A R D

$1,000

Non-Instructional StaffM A X I M U M

A W A R D

$500

InstructionalStaff

Non-InstructionalStaff

Campus Groups Determined by Level

Calculate Value-Added Campus Composite

EVAAS® generates an overall campuscomposite score based on student

improvement across grades and subjects.

Rank Order by Overall Campus Composite Score (at each level)

Only campuses withimprovement are eligible.

ElementaryCampuses

SecondaryCampuses

STRAND

II

STRAND I IA HIGHLIGHTS

• Value-added score is based on student data for three years,including Stanford and TAKS results.

• Growth measure uses students as their own control group.

• EVAAS® provides reading, math, language arts, science, andsocial studies value-added scores at each grade.

• Teachers receive a value-added report for all subjects taughtbefore they receive a bonus.

STRAND I IBHIGHLIGHTS

• Departmentalized elementary teacherscan earn up to the same amount asself-contained teachers no matter howmany subjects they teach.

• Core subjects have been verified bycourse number with the ChancerySystem and Curriculum Department.

• Departmentalized and middle-schoolreading, math, language arts, science,and social studies teachers are noweligible for bonuses.

• Teachers will receive a value-addedreport for all subjects taught beforethey receive a bonus.

Awarded Rank from Rank fromSubjects 100–75% 74–50%Reading $1,000 $500

Math $1,000 $500Language Arts $1,000 $500

Science $1,000 $500Social Studies $1,000 $500

Self-Contained Core Teachers,Grades 3–6, Progress AwardM A X I M U M A W A R D $5,000 (for all subjects awarded)

* 2007 Mean NCE Gain is a measure of a teacher’s students’ average academic growth in a core subject.

** Gain Score is a teacher’s 2007 Mean NCE Gain divided by the standard error associated with that gain.Subject-area 2007 Mean NCE Gain or Gain Scores can be found on value-added reports on theASPIRE portal at http://www.houstonisd.org/ASPIRE.

Teacher Progress Award

B. Departmentalized Core Teachers, Grades 3–8 Awarded to departmentalized core teachers (reading, math, language arts,science, or social studies) in grades 3–8 on the basis of their students’ averageprogress in one or more core subjects who meet the following criteria:

• The teacher’s subject-area 2007 Mean NCE Gain* is above “0,” indicating thatthe average academic growth for his/her students is above the average forstudents with similar academic histories, AND

• The teacher’s subject-area Gain Score** ranked in the top 50% of all HISDteachers in the same campus type (elementary or middle) and subject.

Number of Core Rank from Rank fromSubjects Taught 100–75% 74–50%

One $5,000 $2,500Two $2,500 (each subject) $1,250 (each subject)

Three $1,666 (each subject) $833 (each subject)

Departmentalized Core Teachers,Grades 3–8, Progress AwardM A X I M U M A W A R D $5,000 (for all subjects awarded)

Awarded to self-contained core teachers (reading, math, language arts, science,or social studies) in grades 3–6 on the basis of their students’ average progressin one or more core subjects who meet the following criteria:

• The teacher’s subject-area2007 Mean NCE Gain* isabove “0,” indicating that theaverage academic growth forhis/her students is above theaverage for students withsimilar academic histories,AND

• The teacher’s subject-areaGain Score** ranked in thetop 50% of all HISD teachersin the same grade and subject.

A. Self-Contained Core Teachers, Grades 3–6

Determine Comparab

All Core Subject Teac(Reading, Math, Language Arts

ASelf-contained

elementary-schoolcore subject teachers in grades 3–6

Teachers compared by grade

for each subject

Teachers compared by subject for each

level (ES or MS)

EVAAS® generates a teacher score based onstudent improvement for each core subject taught.

BDepartmentalizedelementary-schooland middle-school

core subject teachersin grades 3–8

Calculate Value-Added Subject Scoreat Teacher Level

Rank Order byTeacher

Value-Added Score

Rank Order byTeacher

Value-Added Score

Teachers rank-ordered by grade for each subject

Teachers rank-ordered by subject for each level

(ES or MS)

Self-Contained 3–6 Core Teachers

M A X I M U M A W A R D

$5,000

Departmentalized 3–8 Core Teachers


$5,000

STRAND I IC HIGHLIGHTS

• High-school teachers are rewarded by department on the basis of subject-levelvalue-added scores, because TAKS tests do not align to course content withenough items to calculate a teacher-level value-added score.

• Twelfth-grade teachers are now included in the core-teacher strand.

• High-school end-of-course exams will be used to create teacher-levelvalue-added scores, when exams become available.

STRAND I IDHIGHLIGHTS

• EC–2nd-grade teacherscan earn bonuses based oncampus-level reading and/ormath value-added scores.

• Special analyses will bedone for teachers atprekindergarten centers.

Awarded to core teachers in grades 9–12 where the campus’ averagestudent progress in that subject meets the following criteria:

• The teacher’s campus subject-area 2007 Mean NCE Gain* is above “0,”indicating that the average academic growth for the students is above the averagefor students with similar academic histories, AND

• The teacher’s campus Gain Score** ranked in the top 50% of all HISD highschools in that same subject.

C. Core Teachers, Grades 9–12

D. Core Teachers, Grades EC–2 Awarded to Early Childhood–2nd-grade core teachers in grades where thecampus’ average student progress in reading and/or math meets thefollowing criteria:

• The teacher’s campus reading and/or math 2007 Mean NCE Gain* is above “0,”indicating that the average academic growth for the students is above theaverage for students with similar academic histories, AND

• The teacher’s campus Gain Score** ranked in the top 50% of all HISDelementary schools in reading and/or math.

* 2007 Mean NCE Gain is a measure of students’ average academic growth in a core subject.

** Gain Score is a teacher’s 2007 Mean NCE Gain divided by the standard error associated withthat gain. Subject-area 2007 Mean NCE Gain or Gain Scores can be found on value-addedreports on the ASPIRE portal at http://www.houstonisd.org/ASPIRE.

Teacher Progress Award

Number of Core Rank from Rank fromSubjects Taught 100–75% 74–50%

One $5,000 $2,500Two $2,500 (each subject) $1,250 (each subject)

Three $1,666 (each subject) $833 (each subject)

Core Teachers, Grades 9–12,Progress AwardM A X I M U M A W A R D $5,000 (for all subjects awarded)

STRAND

II

ble Teacher Groups

chers Grades EC–12s, Science, and Social Studies)

Teachers compared by subject by campus

Teachers compared by reading and math

by campus

EVAAS® generates acampus score based

on student improvementfor each core subject

taught that can be usedto rate teachers on the

basis of departmentperformance.

EVAAS® generates a campus score based

on student improvementfor math and reading.

CCore subject teachers in grades 9–12

DCore subject teachers in

grades EC–2

Calculate Value-Added Subject Score at Campus Level

Rank Order byDepartmental

Value-Added Score

Rank Order byCampus-Level

Value-Added Score

Campuses rank-orderedby subject

Campuses rank-orderedby reading and math

Core High-School Teachers


$5,000

EC–2nd-Grade Teachers


$2,500

Awarded Rank from Rank fromSubjects 100–75% 74–50%Reading $1,250 $625

Math $1,250 $625

Core Teachers, Grades EC–2,Progress AwardM A X I M U M A W A R D $2,500 (for all subjects awarded)

* TEA Comparable Improvement (CI) is a state measure that shows how student performance on the TAKS reading and mathtests at a given campus has changed from one year to the next, and then compares that change to the 40 schools that aredemographically most similar. More information about CI or a campus’ CI rank can be found at http://www.tea.state.tx.us.

**A campus TEA rating is based on a variety of indicators. More information can be found at http://www.tea.state.tx.us.

STRAND I I I HIGHLIGHTS• Academically Acceptable with Progress category was eliminated.

All Academically Acceptable or higher campuses are eligiblefor bonuses in Strand IIIA.

• Academically Unacceptable campuses are not included.

• Special analyses will be made to include alternative schools.

• Strand IIIA is based solely on TEA Comparable Improvement.

• Strand IIIB was added to reward Exemplary and Recognized campuses.

Campus Improvement AwardM A X I M U M A W A R D $500 (per subject — reading and/or math)

A. Campus Improvement AwardAwarded to all HISD instructional staff assigned to a campus that:• Earned a Texas Education Agency (TEA) rating of Academically

Acceptable or higher; AND

• Ranked in the top 50% of the state’s Comparable Improvement (CI)*in reading and/or math.

B. Campus Achievement AwardAwarded to all HISD instructional staff assigned to a campus that: • Earned a TEA rating** of Exemplary or Recognized.

Campus Achievement AwardM A X I M U M A W A R D $300

Campus Improvement and Achievement Awards

STRAND

III

% Assigned Rank from Rank from to Campus 100–75% 74–50%

100% $500 each (reading/math) $250 each (reading/math)






% Assigned to Campus Exemplary Recognized

100% $300 $15080% $240 $12060% $180 $9050% $150 $7540% $120 $6020% $60 $30

Instructional StaffM A X I M U M A W A R D

$500per subject

Instructional StaffM A X I M U M A W A R D

$300

Unacceptable (no bonus available)

InstructionalStaff

ACampus

ImprovementAward

Rewards instructional staffat campuses where

students have exhibitedsignificant improvementwhen compared to other

similar schools across thestate. It is based onTEA Comparable

Improvement.

BCampus

AchievementAward

Rewards instructional staffat campuses wherestudents reach and

maintain high levels ofacademic achievement.

It is based solely onTEA accountability

ratings.

Exemplary or Recognized

40 StateComparison

Buildings

State Achievement

Standards

Acceptable

Campus TEA Accountability Rating

Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center4400 West 18th Street

Houston, Texas 77092-8501Web site: www.houstonisd.org

Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center4400 West 18th Street

Houston, Texas 77092-8501Web site: www.houstonisd.org

It is the policy of the Houston IndependentSchool District not to discriminate on thebasis of age, color, handicap or disability,ancestry, national origin, marital status,race, religion, sex, veteran status, orpolitical affiliation in its educational oremployment programs and activities.

To Learn MoreVisit the ASPIRE portal at

www.houstonisd.org/ASPIRE.

To Learn MoreVisit the ASPIRE portal at

www.houstonisd.org/ASPIRE.

aspire award program

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