USING MULTIPLE MEASURESUnder the proposed new evaluation, every teacher will experience five different components that fall into two categories: measures of student growth and measures of professional practice. Each category counts for 50 percent of the overall evaluation. The weight of each component within these two categories is still being determined, but no component will account for more than 35 percent of the evaluation.

MEASURES OF STUDENT GROWTH

Value-Added Model City Schools’ value-added model, or VAM, is a measure of a teacher’s contribution to student growth. It calculates a predicted Stanford, MSA or HSA score for a student, based on the student’s prior performance on those standardized tests. To isolate the teacher’s impact on student growth, the VAM also considers factors such as prior-year attendance, student mobility and special education or low-income status. All 2nd-grade teachers and teachers who teach subjects tested by the MSA and HSA will receive value-added scores.

WHY A NEW EVALUATION? City Schools is working to ensure effectiveness across the organization so that all students experience excellent teaching and learning in every classroom, in every school. To do this, the district is building systems to strengthen, support and measure effectiveness among teachers, school leaders and schools.A new evaluation to measure teacher effectiveness is being field-tested in 2012-13, to inform full implementation in 2013-14. It is aligned with City Schools’ Instructional Framework and the district’s professional development opportunities, so that teachers experience it as both an affirmation of effective instruction and a tool to improve their practice.

STUDENT SURVEYS

OBSERVATIONS/INSTRUCTIONAL

FRAMEWORK

SCHOOL INDEX

STUDENTLEARNING

OBJECTIVES

VALUE ADDEDMODEL

TEACHER EVALUATION

PROFESSIONALRESPONSIBILITIES

STUDENTGROWTH

CITY SCHOOLS’ NEW EVALUATION FOR TEACHERS

Student Learning Objectives For teachers who teach subjects not tested by standardized tests (e.g., pre-k to 1st-grade teachers, fine arts teachers and teachers of high school electives), student learning objectives will be used to measure student growth. These are specific, measurable, long-term student growth goals that are created by teachers with colleagues and school leaders.

School Index Each teacher will receive a school index score, which includes schoolwide measures of student growth (or, for high school teachers, students’ college and career readiness), achievement and school climate. All teachers at the same school receive the same score.

THE 2012-13 FIELD TESTIn spring 2013, the various components of the new evaluation are being administered in a districtwide no-stakes field test. The experience of the field test will allow the components to be refined for the 2013-14 school year, when the new evaluation will replace PBES.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR• Every Wednesday in April (3, 10, 17, 24): Get answers to your questions at informal sessions to be held from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at 200 E. North Avenue, room 201.

• April and May: Teachers validate class rosters; professional development on student learning objectives provided for “SLO ambassadors” nominated by their school leaders; school leaders complete assessments of teacher professional responsibilities.

• May and June: School index scores calculated by district staff.

• Summer: Teachers receive a no-stakes composite rating based on the field test components.

FIND OUT MOREFor more information about the new evaluation for teachers, please visit City Schools Inside (www.baltimorecityschools.org/CitySchoolsInside).

Under the Teachers tab, click on “Effectiveness” for more on City Schools’ work to attract, support and recognize effective teachers. Click on “New Evaluation” for background and frequently asked questions about the evaluation.

Questions can be emailed to educatorfieldtest@bcps.k12.md.us.

MEASURES OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Observations/Instructional Framework The Instructional Framework defines what effective teaching looks like in City Schools. Developed over many months with input from hundreds of teachers, the framework divides instruction into three domains: Plan, Teach and Reflect & Adjust. Initially for the new evaluation, observations of teachers will focus only on the Teach domain.

Student Surveys Research shows that students know effective teaching when they experience it. This spring, students in grades 3 to 12 will complete a survey about their experience with their teachers in the classroom. The questions align with the Instructional Framework and are developmentally appropriate for students at all grade levels.

Professional Responsibilities A checklist measures teacher performance on a set of core functions and responsibilities outside of instruction. Categories include attendance, on-time arrival, compliance with school and district policies and testing integrity.