Supporting Teaching and Learning Arkansas Department of Education Dr. Tom Kimbrell, Commissioner

1. Supporting Teaching and Learning Arkansas Department of Education Dr. Tom Kimbrell, Commissioner May 11, 2012

2. Today’s Topics for Teaching and Learning • Teacher Excellence and Support System • Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) • Technology Specs • ESEA Flexibility Request • Targeted Achievement Gap Groups (TAGG) • Accountability, Reporting & Responding

3. Teacher Excellence and Support System • Act 1209 of 2011 – Teacher Excellence and Support System (TESS) • Rules are out for public comment until May 18 • Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching – Based on 4 Domains and 22 Components • Appropriate external measures of assessment for teachers of non-tested areas • Incorporate student learning into Danielson’s framework • Training for 35,000 teachers and administrators

4. Teacher Excellence and Support System • Measure individual teacher performance. • Guide for teachers as they reflect upon and improve their effectiveness. • Serve as the basis for instructional improvement. • Focus the goals and objectives of schools and districts - support, monitor and evaluate their teachers.

5. ARKANSAS TEACHER EXCELLENCE SUPPORT SYSTEM (TESS) *Training of Evaluators - 1 day face-to-face training held at co-ops will kick off the 30 hours of on-line training and certification test Jan – May 2013 Pilot Year All districts will pilot TESS. Committee of stakeholders will obtain input and feedback from pilot Teacher Eval. Task Force Comprised of 36 members representing all stakeholder groups 11 Schools Pilot – TESS Using Teachscape Software and 360° cameras Regional Meetings held throughout the state to gain input and inform stakeholders. 2009 2010-11 2011-12 2012 2012-13 2012 2013 2013 2013-14 2014-15 Training of Teachers – Half- day face-to-face training held at districts and co-ops will kick off 18 hours on-line training . June – Aug 2013 First Year of Full Implementation All districts will implement TESS; Data from 14-15, 15-16, and 16-17 will be published on school report cards in 17-18 Train the Trainers 80 to 100 trainers located throughout the state will be trained Fall 2012 4 Schools Pilot New Evaluation System Act 1209 Passed in March 2011 Rules and Regs approved by State Board of Education Summer 2012. *The face-to-face training will take place in January and February 2013 – Evaluators will need to complete the on-line training and certification test by August 2013

6. ARKANSAS PRINCIPAL EVALUATION SYSTEM TIMELINE 10 Schools Pilot –Year 2 Training and Support will continue w/ pilot schools to obtain feedback, gather data, and determine professional development needs- Work will also begin on revising rubrics for asst prin., curr specialists, etc. ACT 222 of 2009 School Leadership Council Set up Council of Educational Assoc, and Leadership Groups to aid in development of evaluation tools Work w/ Stakeholders and Legislators for legislation of principal evaluation system to mirror TESS Pilot Year All districts will pilot principal evaluation system. Committee of stakeholders will obtain input and feedback from pilot 10 Schools in Principal Evaluation Pilot Dr. Connie Kamm w/ Doug Reeves Leadership and Learning Center facilitates training 2009 2010-11 2011-12 Spring 2012 2012-13 Fall2012 Jan 2013 Summer 2013 2013-14 2014-15 First Year of Full Implementation All districts will fully implement principal evaluation system –Data will be collected on system Conduct Meetings with appropriate stakeholders to receive input for principal evaluation system and possible legislation – Explore options for on-line platforms Revisions made to evaluation rubric, forms, etc., based on feedback from piot Training for Principals and Superintendents All principals and superintendents will be trained on principal evaluation system - Act 222 Council develops principal evaluation system based on ISLLC standards

7. Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers • The PARCC assessments have six priority purposes, which are driving the design of the system:  • Determine whether students are college- and career-ready or on track • Assess the full range of the Common Core Standards, including standards that are difficult to measure • Measure the full range of student performance, including the performance high and low performing students • Provide data during the academic year to inform instruction, interventions and professional development • Provide data for accountability, including measures of growth • Incorporate innovative approaches throughout the system

8. Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) • PARCC will develop an assessment system comprised of four components. • Two summative, required assessment components designed to: • Make “college- and career-readiness” and “on-track” determinations,  • Measure the full range of standards and full performance continuum, and • Provide data for accountability uses, including measures of growth. • Two non-summative, optional assessment components designed to: • Generate timely information for informing instruction, interventions, and professional development during the school year. • An additional third non-summative component will assess students’ speaking and listening skills

9. Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) Minimum Guidelines for New Hardware Purchases

10. ESEA Flexibility Request Why ? Core values • Reduce complexity • Fairness & sensitivity • Measure what is important—proficiency, growth/progress, gap closure • Honor history—use data & lessons learned to improve system • Fairness is not always simple-parsimony vs. simplicity • Infuse incentives & rewards • Credit schools for progress & growth • All efforts support & ensure path to CCR • Anticipate & minimize unintended consequences • Do what is best for Arkansas’s children.

11. Accountability System and Feedback Loop

12. TAGG: Targeted Achievement Gap Group • Students from low income families; • Students with disabilities; and • English learners

13. TAGG: Targeted Achievement Gap Group • Reduces unintended consequences • Students may belong to several groups, stakeholders have been concerned this exaggerates school failure. • Focuses more schools on achievement gaps • 90% of schools have a TAGG • Differentiates accountability and response for students with lowest performance • AMOs for ESEA subgroups • Reporting ESEA subgroups with N ≥ 10

14. Accountability, Reporting & Responding • Accountability: Classification of Schools • 95% tested • Proficiency Gap-Combined Population & TAGG • Growth Gap-Combined Population & TAGG • Graduation Rate Gap-Combined Population & TAGG • College & Career Ready Indicators developed during transition to PARCC • Reporting & Responding with Interventions (N ≥ 10) • 95% tested • Proficiency Gap-Combined Population, TAGG & ESEA Subgroups • Growth Gap-Combined Population, TAGG & ESEA Subgroups • Graduation Rate Gap-Combined Population, TAGG & ESEA Subgroups • College & Career Ready Indicators reported

15. ESEA Flexibility Request • Arkansas is one of 26 states, along with the District of Columbia, in the second round of ESEA Flexibility applications. • Application was submitted February 28, 2012. • Following peer review, the state has been involved in an iterative process with the USDE to provide clarification and coherence. • Has submitted the third revision this week. • Hope to receive approval within next two weeks.

16. Supporting Teaching and LearningArkansas Department of Education For more information contact: TESS—Dr. Karen Cushman, Assistant Commissioner Human Resources/Licensure PARCC—Dr. Laura Bednar, Assistant Commissioner Learning Services ESEA Flexibility—John Hoy, Assistant Commissioner Academic Accountability

17. Questions and Answers?