SLOs for Comprehensive Assessment: Setting Goals for Student Learning

1. Comprehensive Assessment System Webinar #3 October 12, 2011

2. Session Topic: Student Learning Objectives

3. Session Objectives The purpose of this session is to: • Explainthe relationship between school-wide and teacher SLOs • Walk through the process of setting SLOs • Identifythe three main criteria of SLOs • Articulatethe benefits of setting SLOs Answer your questions regarding SLOS

4. Multiple Measures Professional Practice Student Learning -SLOs -RIGM Professional Responsibilities

5. Student learning is our priority. • Student learning is what it’s all about. • Setting goals for student learning emphasizes outcomes, rather than inputs. • It focuses attention on data, which educators can use to make decisions about how to adjust instruction and allocate resources.

6. How to accurately and fairly measure student learning? • State assessments provide one measure of student learning. • The evaluation system relies on multiple measures of student learning. • Both commercial and locally-developed assessments provide valuable information about student learning. • Teachers and administrators are well-equipped to identify what students need and how to measure their learning.

7. Hybrid approach n/a in 2011-2012 • Student Learning Objectives • Long-term, measureable academic goals • Apply to all educators • Aligned to standards and district and school priorities • May be measured with diverse sources of evidence (commercial assessments, common end-of-course assessments, portfolios, etc.) RI Growth Model

8. Why gradual implementation? • It allows for more time for training so that evaluators feel adequately preparedto take on this role. • It provides everyone with the opportunity to practice and get hands-on experience with the process. • It provides time to learn and talk about the student learning components and make informed revisionsbefore full implementation.

9. Gradual vs. Full Implementation

10. What is a student learning objective? Student Learning Objectives consist of content standards, evidence, and targets: • The content standards can be CCSS, GSEs/GLEs, or other national standards. • The evidence is the assessment(s) used to measure student progress/mastery • The target is the numerical goal for student progress/mastery, based on available prior data. An SLO is a long term, measureable academic goal. See the SLO exemplars on the RIDE website

11. Progress or Mastery Student Learning Objectives based onprogress require students to make a certain amount of progress from a baseline measure toward a benchmark of performance. Objectives based on mastery require students to demonstrate a particular level of skill and knowledge in that content area, regardless of baseline measures.

12. Partial SLO Example Statement of objective: All students will demonstrate proficiency on AP Calculus course standards. Evidence: Because the current AP exam results will not be available until July, my evidence source will be a recently-released AP exam provided by the College Board, administered as the students' final exam. Performance on this exam should be predictive of performance on the actual AP exam. Target: Based on the performance of last year’s students and the data on my incoming students, I expect 100% of students to earn at least 54 points out of a possible 108 points (corresponds to between a 3/5 and 4/5 overall AP score).

13. Vertical Alignment • SLOs should be vertically aligned: district priorities  school priorities  classroom priorities • All educators will have sets of SLOs (2-4 for teachers, 4-6 for administrators)

14. Vertical Alignment

15. The SLO Process Step 1:Building administrator reviews district strategic plan and school improvement plans and, with administrator teams, sets school-wide SLOs. Step 2:Building administrator explains measures of student learning to faculty and shares school-wide SLOs. Step 3:Teacher teams meet to set SLOs, if applicable. Step 4:Evaluator approves SLOs Step 5: Evaluator and teacher/administrator revisit SLOs Step 6:Evaluator reviews data and scores SLOs.

16. Step 3: Teacher team meetings The goals of these meetings are to: • Determine content priorities • Identify or create the highest-quality sources of evidence • Set rigorous targets

17. The SLO Process Winter Fall Spring Step 5: Revisiting Step 6: Scoring Step 4: Approving

18. Step 4: Approval of SLOs When the evaluator approves SLOs, they are primarily looking at: 1. Priority of Content 2. Quality of Evidence 3. Rigor of Target

19. Priority of Content Is it aligned to standards, important curriculum targets, and/or school and district priorities? Is it broad enough that it captures the major content of the instructional period? Is it narrow enough that it can be measured? -Administrators must have 1 ELA, 1 Math -Teachers must align their SLOs to school-wide SLOs, where applicable

20. Quality of Evidence Will the source(s) of evidence provide the data you need to determine if the objective has been met? Is it aligned? Evidence must be aligned to the standards addressed by the SLO. Is it common? Common, externally-validated evidence is preferred. Refer to Appendix B in the Comprehensive Assessment System Criteria & Guidance for guiding questions for evaluating an assessment. http://ride16:9090/Assessment/CAS.aspx

21. Rigor of Target Does the numerical target represent an appropriate amount of student learning for the interval of instruction? Is it rigorous, yet attainable? Target should be ambitious for all students, but attainable. Is it based on data? Though baseline data is not always available, targets should be informed by available historical data.

22. If the SLO needs revision… 1. Evaluator should mark the SLO as Unacceptable on any of the 3 criteria. 2. Evaluator should return the SLO to the teacher with an explanation of why it was not acceptable and suggestions for how to revise. 3. Teacher should revise and resubmit to evaluator as soon as possible (within 2 weeks). 4. Evaluator should review revised SLO and either approve or send back to teacher with guidance on how to submit a final revision.

23. Step 5: Revisiting SLOs Step 5: Revisiting SLOs In January-February, teacher/administrator and evaluator revisit SLOs. 1. Teacher/administrator shares available evidence with evaluator 2. Evaluator delivers feedback and guidance 3. Teacher/administrator has the opportunity to revise if: -the composition of the class/school has changed significantly -teaching or administrative assignments have changed significantly -new sources of evidence become available -evaluator and teacher/administrator agree that the target is no longer appropriate

24. Step 6: Scoring SLOs In May-June, teacher/administrator and evaluator meet and review evidence for each of the SLOs. 1. Evaluator assigns an individual rating for each SLO. Evaluator should check the box that best indicates the attainment of this student learning objective. Did the teacher/administrator meet this student learning objective? Did Not Meet Met Exceeded

25. Step 6: Scoring SLOs Step 6: Scoring SLOs 2. Evaluator combines individual rating into one holistic rating using the SLO Scoring Guidelines. Exceptional Attainment of Objectives Full Attainment of Objectives Considerable Attainment of Objectives Partial Attainment of Objectives Minimal or No Attainment of Objectives Ratings follow a 5-point scale

26. Student Learning Matrix Student Learning Matrix

27. Calculating the Final Effectiveness Rating Calculating the Final Effectiveness Rating

28. Anticipated Challenge #1 Anticipated Challenge #1 A teacher approaches the building leader and asks whether their off-the-shelf assessment is acceptable for measuring student learning. How could he or she assess the measurement tool? • Refer to CAS Appendix B • Look for alignment to standards

29. Anticipated Challenge #2 Anticipated Challenge #2 A physical education teacher is having a difficult time identifying an appropriate way to assess learning in his class. How could he identify appropriate sources of evidence of student learning? • Ask him what he currently uses to assess student learning • Encourage him to collaborate with other phys. ed teachers in the school or district • Pair him with a teacher in another non-tested grade or subject for ideas for evidence

30. Anticipated Challenge #3 Anticipated Challenge #3 A team of teachers is having a hard time agreeing upon the priority content for their SLO. Which documents or resources could they use? • The standards • School Improvement Plan/School-wide SLOs • Historical evidence/data • Course syllabus

31. Key Messages about Student Learning Key Messages • A set of SLOs is based on multiple measures—no educator will ever be evaluated on the basis of one test or piece of data. • Student Learning Objectives empower teachers to make decisions about how student learning is measured. • SLOs require clarity about what the essential learning is. • The SLO process encourages collaboration among teacher teams. • SLOs focus attention on dataandoutcomes. • SLOs are an opportunity to document the impact educators make.

32. Resources Guidebooks: http://www.ride.ri.gov/EducatorQuality/EducatorEvaluation/Guides.aspx SLO Forms & Exemplars: http://www.ride.ri.gov/EducatorQuality/EducatorEvaluation/SLO.aspx

33. Questions? Email: EdEval@RIDE.RI.GOV

34. Upcoming Webinars Oct. 19th Taking inventory using the Assessment Maps (Appendix A) November 9th  Follow up on Assessment Maps (Appendix A) & next steps December 14th Validity & Reliability