Webinar #3October 12, 2011

Comprehensive Assessment System

Session Topic:

Student Learning Objectives

Session Objectives

The purpose of this session is to:

• Explain the relationship between school-wide and teacher SLOs

• Walk through the process of setting SLOs

• Identify the three main criteria of SLOs

• Articulate the benefits of setting SLOs

Answer your questions regarding SLOS

Professional Practice

Professional Responsibilities

Student Learning-SLOs-RIGM

Multiple Measures

• 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.

Student learning is our priority.

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.

How to accurately and fairly measure student learning?

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

n/a in 2011-2012

Hybrid approach

• It allows for more time for training so that evaluators feel adequately prepared to 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 revisions before full implementation.

Why gradual implementation?

Gradual vs. Full Implementation

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.

What is a student learning objective?

See the SLO exemplars on the RIDE website

Student Learning Objectives based on progress 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.

Progress or Mastery

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).

Partial SLO Example

•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)

Vertical Alignment

Vertical Alignment

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.

The SLO Process

The goals of these meetings are to:

– Determine content priorities

– Identify or create the highest-quality sources of evidence

– Set rigorous targets

Step 3: Teacher team meetings

Step 4:

Approving

Step 5:

Revisiting

Step 6:

Scoring

Fall Spring Winter

The SLO Process

When the evaluator approves SLOs, they are primarily looking at:

1. Priority of Content

2. Quality of Evidence

3. Rigor of Target

Step 4: Approval of SLOs

Priority of Content

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

Quality of Evidence

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.

Rigor of Target

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.

If the SLO needs revision…

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

Step 5: Revisiting 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

Step 6: Scoring SLOs

Step 6: Scoring SLOs

Exceptional Attainment of Objectives

Full Attainment of Objectives

Considerable Attainment of Objectives

Partial Attainment of Objectives

Minimal or No Attainment of Objectives

2. Evaluator combines individual rating into one holistic rating using the SLO Scoring Guidelines.

Ratings follow a 5-point scale

Step 6: Scoring SLOs

Student Learning MatrixStudent Learning Matrix

Calculating the Final Effectiveness RatingCalculating the Final Effectiveness Rating

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

Anticipated Challenge #1

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

Anticipated Challenge #2

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

Anticipated Challenge #3

Key Messages about Student Learning

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 data and outcomes.

SLOs are an opportunity to document the impact educators make.

Key Messages

Resources

Guidebooks:http://www.ride.ri.gov/EducatorQuality/

EducatorEvaluation/Guides.aspx

SLO Forms & Exemplars:http://www.ride.ri.gov/EducatorQuality/

EducatorEvaluation/SLO.aspx

Questions?

Email: EdEval@RIDE.RI.GOV

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