TKES: DOK

Depth of knowledge verbs that are helpful:

• Analyze: Break material into its constituent parts and determine how the parts relate to one another and to an overall structure or purpose.
• Compare: Identify and describe points of similarity.
• Contrast: Bring out the points of difference.
• Critique: Detect consistencies and inconsistencies between a product and relevant external criteria; detect the appropriateness of a procedure or for a given problem.
• Evaluate: Make judgments based on criteria and standards; determine the significance, value, quality, or relevance of; give the good points and the bad ones; identify and describe advantages and limitations.

(Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement, Inc.)

Updated advice for new visitors

There is a significant amount of hands-on advice in earlier post that I have written in this blog. I recommend that if you are new to this blog, you take a few moments to read some of the earlier posts from 2014.  Many people have viewed the blogs related to: 

• Suggestions for Documenting TKES Standard ___
• the TLE Platform, 
• TKES/TAPS Observations DOK: What to Say
• Teacher Assessment on Performance Standards & Documenting Performance
• Summative Assessment
• Examples of Documenting Evidence

Documentation Ideas for Standard 4

Differentiates the instructional content, process, product, and learning environment to meet individual developmental needs

• Section Summary Report of your grade book to show differentiated content and product results indicating that the tests could result in a differentiated in product.
• Lesson plan showing differentiation of content, process, product, and/or environment.
• Pictures showing differentiated learning environment.

Provides remediation, enrichment, and acceleration to further student understanding of material

• Materials of All State, District, and local honor requirements for students to participate
• Lesson plan specifically showing remediation, acceleration, and enrichment for students 
• Example of documents used to provide students’ challenges, support learning, address learning differences, differentiation, and provide remediation and acceleration to further students’ understanding of material.
• Pictures of students participating in extending/enrichment activities.

Uses flexible grouping strategies to encourage appropriate peer interaction and to accommodate learning needs/goals

• Section Summary Report of your grade book to show where students can be grouped, assist each other, and graded on summative assessment
• Lesson plans indicating how, why, and the data used to determine flexible grouping.  (Using data to determine grouping is important!)

Uses diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment data to inform instructional modifications for individual students

• Section Summary Report of your grade book to show how formative and summative assessment data were used to guide changes to instructional strategies, unit plans, next content, or next assessment.
• (Formative assessments are the teacher's greatest aid in guiding current/in-process and future instruction.  There is an enormous section in my doctoral study regarding this; not because I wanted to write so much on it, but rather because that is what researchers/literature shows.)
• Highlight diagnostic (standardized test results), formative (homework or observational notes), and/or summative data from your grade book or roll and make a notation on how, when, and why that was used to make modifications for individual and groups of students.

Demonstrates high learning expectations for all students commensurate with their developmental levels

• Examples of Signs and Vocabulary that lists the terms and symbols for concepts that are expected for students to learn and demonstrate.

Measuring student growth using student learning objectives

From: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/projects/project.asp?ProjectID=369
(If you haven't signed up for e-mails from ies.ed.gov, you should!)

Student learning objectives (SLOs)—classroom-specific growth targets chosen by individual teachers and approved by principals—are becoming popular as alternative measures of student growth because they can be used to evaluate teachers in any grade or subject.  Although very little of the literature on SLOs addresses their statistical properties, key findings show that:

• SLOs have the potential to better distinguish teachers based on performance than traditional evaluation metrics do, but no studies have looked at SLO reliability.  Most of the limited evidence on the statistical properties of SLOs is on the proportion of teachers achieving SLO objectives. Whether that differentiation represents true differences in teacher performance or random statistical noise is unknown.
• Little is known about whether SLOs can yield ratings that correlate with other measures of teacher performance. Only three studies have explored the relationship between SLO ratings and standardized assessment-based (value-a dded) growth measures. These studies found small but positive correlations. More research is needed as states and districts roll out SLOs as teacher evaluation measures and instructional planning tools.
• Until some of the research gaps are filled, districts that intend to use SLOs may want to roll them out for instructional planning before using them in high-stakes teacher evaluations. Several studies found teacher concerns about fairness in SLO implementation. This is no surprise, because SLOs are difficult to make valid and reliable. They are by definition customized to individual teachers and based on the professional judgments of teachers and principals. Making SLOs an important component of high-stakes evaluation could undermine their validity, because it means that teachers are in essence grading themselves.
• Studies of teacher experiences with SLOs indicate that SLOs can require substantial training and technology infrastructure and that they can be time-consuming for teachers and evaluators alike.

Teacher Pay for Performance Results

New: from the Institute of Education Sciences

To obtain hard copy of many IES products as well as hard copy and electronic versions of hundreds of other U.S. Department of Education products please visit http://www.edpubs.org or call 1-877-433-7827 (877-4-EDPUBS).

New from NCEE: Teacher Incentive Fund Implementation and Impacts of Pay-for-Performance After Two Years

Today, NCEE released the second of four evaluation reports that studies Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) grants that were awarded in 2010 to support performance-based compensation systems for teachers and principals in high-need schools. The report provides basic implementation information for all 2010 TIF grantees, and more in-depth implementation and impact information for the subset of 10 districts that agreed to participate in a random assignment study. The main findings among all TIF districts with 2010 awards are: * Ninety percent of all TIF districts in 2012–2013 reported implementing at least 3 of the 4 required components for teachers, and only about one-half (52 percent) reported implementing all four. This was a slight improvement from the first year of implementation. * Near the end of the second year of implementation, 65 percent of TIF districts reported that sustainability of the program was a major challenge. In contrast, no more than one-third of districts reported that other activities related to their program were a major challenge. For the subset of 10 districts that agreed to participate in a random assignment study, key findings on the effect of pay-for-performance on educators include the following: * Few evaluation districts structured pay-for-performance bonuses to align well with TIF guidance in the grant competition notice. * Educators’ understanding of key program components improved from the first to the second year, but many teachers still did not understand that they were eligible for a bonus. They also continued to underestimate how much they could earn from performance bonuses. * Offering educators pay-for-performance had small, positive impacts on their students’ reading achievement; impacts on students’ math achievement were not statistically significant but similar in magnitude. To read the report, visit http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/20154020/index.asp To learn more about the study research design and the impact evaluation of TIF, visithttp://ies.ed.gov/ncee/projects/evaluation/tq_incentive.asp.

TKES: Year 2, document

My colleagues were somewhat skeptical of my data and document collecting 2 years ago.  They looked on with some amount of "Why are you doing all that?" "Why are you going to all that trouble?" as I created my notebooks of evidence and detailed table of contents.

Now, what are we asked to do as part of our evaluation?  "Print out our communication to parents, e-mails, or parent communication and place it in this binder we're giving you--under the Communication tab.  And, let's go ahead and put your lesson plans in this binder we're giving you under the Lesson Plan tab.  Oh, and let's keep your resources you're using under this Resources tab in this binder."  Hummm.  Sounds like document and create a notebook of evidence divided by the TAPS areas....  been there, done that.

Well, at least I have a couple of years of practice in doing this.  Now I have 4 notebooks on my shelf instead of 2.

Two things to remember this year: you can't document your way to a higher score, and your lesson plans need to be thorough.

Respectfully,
Glenn

First Try at Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) for Performance Based Class

The results from my SLOs came back and indicated high growth, but...

This process can not be valid or reliable nor should it be used in any sort of evaluative manner--for a student or a teacher.  It should not even be used to measure student growth.  It should not be used now or in the future to contribute to a teacher's TEM score attached to a teaching certificate.  It is not even valid enough to provide for a summative assessment contributing to a student's 9 weeks grade.  There are too many variables/issues to count it as "standardized."

Ideas for Documenting TKES Standard 3: Instructional Strategies

Instructional Strategies: The teacher promotes student learning by using research-based instructional strategies relevant to the content to engage students in active learning and to facilitate the students’ acquisition of key knowledge and skills.

1. Engages students in active learning and maintains interest
1. An essay that encompasses your overall emphasis in student engagement and mastery of standards.
2. Lesson plans that show standard, concept, practice, and application of new ideas.
3. Examples and lesson plans of how the lesson builds on students' prior knowledge.
4. Pictures or copies of handouts of how you maintained students' interest
2. Builds upon students’ existing knowledge and skills
1. Lesson plans that consistently show activating students' prior knowledge
2. An essay that would detail how you regularly build on your students' pre-existing knowledge and skills.
3. Examples of handouts/worksheets that show scaffolding of knowledge
4. A list of the different ways you activate students' prior knowledge
3. Reinforces learning goals consistently throughout the lesson
1. Lesson plans that detail how the learning goal is reinforced throughout the lesson
2. Examples of depth of knowledge questions used during a lesson.
3. Words, sequencing, or structure that shows your regular reinforcing of the lesson.
4. Uses a variety of research-based instructional strategies and resources
1. Lesson plans that show differentiation of content, process, and/or product (differentiation can be one, two, or all three of those; additionally, it can be differentiated groups, locations, environment, etc.)
2. Provide pictures of differentiated classroom.
3. Lesson plans that detail acceleration and remediation
4. Lesson plans that show pacing, transitions, and expectations.
5. List of instructional strategies used for that learning goal (use the "75 Instructional Strategies" or the "Nine Most Effective Instructional Strategies" links for ideas)
5. Effectively uses appropriate instructional technology to enhance student learning
1. Examples (list) of technology used in learning goals and how they were used.
2. Lesson plans listing technology used for that lesson.
3. Examples of SmartBoard pages used for lesson
4. Examples of handouts, visuals, non-linguistic representations which help supplement learning
6. Communicates and presents material clearly, and checks for understanding
1. Examples of handouts, visuals, pictures, links that have been used to supplement students' learning.
2. Examples of the aural, visual, and kinesthetic means used to supplement students' learning.
3. Essay: 3.6; Checks for Understanding
4. Lesson plans showing depth of knowledge questions and sequencing of lesson
7. Develops higher-order thinking through questioning and problem-solving activities
1. Lesson plans detailing the sequencing of material for a learning goal; list higher order thinking questions, problem solving activities, and grouping activities; be sure to state how and why the students are grouped in the way they are.
2. Provide pictures with explanation of problem solving activities
8. Engages students in authentic learning by providing real-life examples and interdisciplinary connections
1. If you link your subject to real life examples or other subjects, this should be easy. Provide a copy of the program, the study guide, the other subject's connection to yours, etc.
2. Provide lesson plans of the integration of the interdisciplinary connections
3. Provide pictures of the out-of-classroom (real life) connectedness.

Documenting Evidence for TKES Standards

I have posts with ideas for documenting the Standards.  As I can, I'll complete the list for all 10 Standards.

As a reminder, it seems to be the consensus that the evidence only counts if it aligns with what the Evaluator observes in the classroom; so, document the Standards and Elements that support what you do in the classroom.  You can not document your way to a higher score.

Organizing your documentation through a notebook(s) and table of contents should help the Evaluator find everything quickly and easily; I have already posed ideas on how to do that....

Hope your evaluations are going well, and you are proving to be a highly effective teacher.

Ideas for Documenting TKES Standard 2: Instructional Planning

Instructional Planning: The teacher plans using state and local school district curricula and standards, effective strategies, resources, and data to address the differentiated needs of all students.

As a reminder, it is my understanding that most Evaluators use the evidence and documentation provided to confirm what they see in the classroom observations. So, if you had hundreds of samples, but they never saw how you used it or applied it, you evidence would have little weight. I had approximately 150 pieces of evidence to support Instructional Planning.

1. Analyzes and uses student learning data to inform planning.
1. Individual student metacognitive tracking results
2. Summative assessments
3. Section summative assessment reports linking the assessment with future planning and lesson plans.
4. Assessment reports that detail how grouping was determined.
5. Progress report data.
2. Develops plans that are clear, logical, sequential, and integrated across the curriculum (e.g., long-term goals, lesson plans, and syllabi).
1. Series of lesson plans that detail: routines, rituals, classroom expectations, high expectations, plans and means for differentiating instruction, long-term goals, connection of individual learning elements to state standards, and results/reports showing mastery of elements with standards.
3. Plans instruction effectively for content mastery, pacing, and transitions.
1. Series of lesson plans that detail: integrated curriculum to long-term goals, examples of Essential Question for the day, transition strategies
2. Pacing guides, curriculum maps
3. Examples of multi-modal presentations to aid in student learning, extending and accelerating activities, graphic representations to aid learning, and application of new concepts.
4. Plans for instruction to meet the needs of all students.
1. Show examples of differentiated products for summative assessments.
2. Show examples of lessons, plans, assessments, and follow up assessments showing planning and assessment tracking of student progress.
3. Lesson plans detailing multiple means of presenting material allowing for students' different prior knowledge, ability level, and learning modalities.
5. Aligns and connects lesson objectives to state and local school district curricula and standards, and student learning needs.
1. Lesson plans that show exact connection between lesson goals, state standards, and how the curriculum will help the students.
2. Copies of samples of how visuals are used to help explain material.
3. Samples of how instruction goes from general to specific or how the different developmental needs of the students are being met.
6. Develops appropriate course, unit, and daily plans, and is able to adapt plans when needed
1. List of priorities and details of how lessons meet standards and student learning needs.
2. Summary assessment reports.
3. Correlation of lesson plans, state standards, and/or national standards.

Ideas for Documenting Standard 1: Professional Knowledge

Here are some suggestions and ideas for providing evidence for the TKES process for Standard 1. As I have become aware--as in a court of law--evidence is not evidence if it is not allowed or reviewed. Similarly, if you provide documentation but it is never reviewed by the Evaluator, it can not affect your rating. I had 220 pieces of detailed evidence for Standard 1. Most Evaluators use the documentation to support what they see in the classroom; so, you may think twice before putting too much work into the documentation. Some friends of mine received IVs with no additional evidence provided.

1. Addresses appropriate curriculum standards and integrates key content elements.
1. Your content standards and any correlation to the national standards or Common Core
2. List of Essential Questions or Lesson Prompt questions associated with your lesson plans.
3. Several Lesson Plans
2. Facilitates students’ use of higher-level thinking skills in instruction.
1. List of Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels with most often used words circled.
2. Sample DOK questions used in class.
3. Sample Lesson Plans show planned use of DOK questions
3. Demonstrates ability to link present content with past and future learning experiences, other subject areas, and real-world experiences and applications.
1. Index and samples of learning experiences, inter-related subject material, and real-world applications.
2. Flyers, programs, and copies of announcements for real-world experiences or applications.
4. Demonstrates accurate, deep, and current knowledge of subject matter.
1. Copies of final transcripts from all degrees earned.
2. Copies of certificates, areas of specialization, professional development, or webinars.
3. Letters or electronic mail recognizing honors or awards earned.
4. Pamphlets or news articles detailing involvement in community, region, state, national, or global level.
5. Copies of the title page (or in its entirety) your published articles, essays, or handbooks.
5. Exhibits pedagogical skills relevant to the subject area(s) taught and best practice based on current research.
1. List of instructional strategies you use throughout the year (see 72 Instructional Strategies or The Nine Most Effective Instructional Strategies)
2. Examples of the use of instructional strategies from lesson plans.
3. Examples of handouts that use different instructional strategies, differentiation, or modalities.
4. Examples of extending, acceleration, or remediation used.
5. Copies of articles, handouts, and examples of how the ideas were used in lessons.
6. Photographs of student engagement during best practices.
7. Research you have conducted or reviewed on best practices.
6. Bases instruction on goals that reflect high expectations for all students and a clear understanding of the curriculum.
1. Handouts of your syllabus or expectations for the year.
2. Examples of student work, student reflection, and graded student work.
7. Displays an understanding of the intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development of the age group.
1. Highlighted articles showing your review of articles related to your students' age group.
2. Examples or essay of how you applied article's ideas to your students.

Student Survey Questions: valid? reliable?

As the TKES year draws to a close, it appears "the system" has some significant flaws.  There are some good elements to the new system (the TAPS in general are a good start), but other aspects are woefully unscientific, unreliable, even unprofessional.  This post focuses on the Student Survey Questions of Instructional Practice for grades 6-8.

1. It is possible that the student survey questions will not and can not lead to valid and reliable results (but we will use the results to evaluate teachers anyway).
2. The questions themselves can not apply to all classes or all teachers or all grade levels.
3. Most of the questions themselves are impossible to score a "strongly agree" due to the fact that a 12 year old is answering the question.  (I typically do not "strongly agree" or "strongly disagree" to anything.  Better choices would be: Most of the time, Usually, Sometimes, Not very often, etc.)
4. Because the questions can not apply to each teacher, to determine teacher effectiveness, the teachers will be compared to other teachers in the school, the district, and the state (thus the "School, District, and State Mean" and "State Median" columns).  Meaning, our effectiveness is not being graded against a teaching standard (the survey question), but against other teachers.  (What if we graded students against each other and not the curriculum standard?  That would be nonsense.)

Question #6: "My teacher chooses activities and assignments based on what students need to learn."  Yes, all the time, during class, for homework, for the day, the week, nine weeks, the year, and for all three years in middle school.  What else do teachers do?  How could a student possibly answer anything other than "strongly agree"?  Because they do not know; they could not know.  Anyone without strong pedagogical training, knowledge, and practice is not even qualified to answer that question.  Teachers even collaborate across grade levels so that there is continuity of learning in middle school.  We are not having students fill out word search puzzles.  87% of my students answered positively to that; however, at least one student answered strongly disagree to all questions.

Question #7: "My teacher gives students as much individual attention as they need [emphasis added] to be successful."  Laughable survey question.  58% of my students answered positively to that.  Think of what a classroom would look like to have 90% of the students answer "strongly agree" to that (I can not even imagine); remember most classrooms are overcrowded....

Question #10:  "My teacher allows me to work with different groups of students depending on the activity we are doing."  Of course we do, any time, all the time, every time - depending on the activity that is assigned to accomplish the learning goal as determined by the teacher so that the students will learn the curriculum.  But, it does not mean everyday or whenever the students want to.  The long-believed, and growing perception that collaborative learning is as effective as direct instruction is wrong.  The conditions of effective collaborative learning to mean direct instruction are so high, no one meets them.  Stacks of high-quality research show that over and over again (I can send you sources if you want because it was an influence in my doctoral study).  I received 47% positive response on that question.  Again, anyone without strong pedagogical training, knowledge, and practice is not even qualified to answer that question.

It appears to me that if I want higher scores on my survey results, I will need to create (another) system for next year to teach middle school students not only the state curriculum of concepts and skills, but also how to identify and understand the Teacher Performance Standards, pedagogy on something they have no knowledge of (so I can get better survey results), and master the Student Learning Objectives.  If only I could see my students for a full class period each day.

Student Surveys of Teacher Instructional Practices: absolutely laughable, if it weren't true

1. The use of student surveys (for middle school: 11-13 year olds) to impact teacher evaluation, TEM score, effectiveness, retention, and certificate, is absolutely laughable - if it weren't true.  Because it is true, it is horrifying and ridiculous.  Now teachers need to teach the students how to evaluate their teacher; here's what summary looks like, here's what differentiation looks like, here's what asking questions looks like, etc.  More later.
2. It seems reasonable that if a child - students - could take a survey that would impact a teachers' -professional educator's - job, why couldn't we create a survey of our students that could count toward their grade (i.e., a summative test grade).  More later.
3. A friend of mine, who has a birds eye view of many things, has the opinion that this entire TKES process was developed to create an evaluation system which has the ability to create a sense of outrage and distrust in the Georgia public education system so that public sentiment would move toward supporting Georgia's elected politician's push toward more charter schools (which was just voted on and approved), allowing for schools, teachers, and benefits to move out of the GA DOE funding into privatized companies allowing schools to function outside of the GA DOE which moved from the lack of governmental funding public schools years ago which, in its fullness, will create a disparity of high functioning charter schools and low functioning public schools creating a reinvented system of segregation--this time, between the haves and the have nots.  TKES isn't about providing an improved valid teacher evaluation, it's about creating political movement toward charter schools.  The opinion is hard to argue against; time will tell.
4. A teachers, as with all other evaluation systems, is in the hands of the interpreting evaluator.  A teacher with less than 5 years experience has seven IVs and three IIIs on his/her summative evaluation.  Another teacher with minimal experience has five IVs and five IIIs.  Another teacher with less than 5 years with experience who provides differentiated experiences for his/her students every day receives IIs.  One evaluator interprets by the letter of the rubric, another interprets: "if you could teach a class on this Standard, you should receive a IV."  ...completely different interpretations, different grades, and different summative outcomes for the teacher--connected to their certificate.  Word is that if you receive a II in any Standard, you may not be eligible for interview or hire in some counties.
5. The survey questions do not/can not apply to all subject matters; this creates validity/reliability problems (yet, we are going to evaluate and judge teachers anyway.  See #3.)

For example:  Survey Question #4: "My teacher takes time each day to summarize what we have learned."  My score: 1.95 (17% strongly agree, 37% agree, 29% disagree, 15% strongly disagree).  Clearly 12-year-old students are clueless (because they are only 12), I summarize more than one time per class period, and now it seems teachers need to teach students how to answer survey questions (in lieu of time spent on standards) to keep their jobs - or at least avoid uncomfortable summative TKES conferences regarding their student survey results.  I graduated with High Honors (high school), cum laude (college), 3.8 (masters), and a 4.0 (doctorate) in my degrees and apply what I know, and constantly use formative assessments during class so my students will learn efficiently, and now I have to figure out a way for 12 year old students to recognize and approve of my teaching strategies and methods to validate my abilities.  Something seems out of place here (see #3).

So, 44% of my students do not think I summarize the concept each day.  Hummmm.  Let's see.  Suppose I teach music.  I teach a new note, I give the location on the staff, I give the name, I give the fingering, I let the students see it and finger it, I give how to play it, I give how it is used, I show them why the note is the way it is, I have the students play the note, I double check (through formative assessments) that the students understand and can perform the note, I have them play the note, and then I have the students play the note in new music.  If that is not summarizing of the new note, I do not know what is, but 44% of my students do not think so.  The same would go for rhythms, dribble a basketball, sing pitch, sew a straight line, or draw a perspective.  In many performance-based classes (Connections classes in particular), concept is about 20% and performance/skill is 80%; therefore, playing/singing/drawing/performing the new concept is summarizing.  So, if teachers are going to improve their student survey averages and TEM score in the coming years, it appears we will need to find new ways of teaching the standards, documenting performance for evaluators, and teaching students how to answer the survey.

75 Instructional Strategies

I decided to type up a list of the different ways I teach the material that is presented in class.  Some of the ideas are common instructional strategies, some are well known, but some are not thought of as an typical "instructional strategy," but they are.  These strategies help students learn.  This list was developed just by thinking through my day and took only as much time as it took to type.  I intend to continue the list as I come across other ways I present material, have students engage in the material, have students demonstrate mastery of the material, or interact with the curriculum.  

Please see the page, "75 Instructional Strategies" or "75 Instructional Strategies-list" above.

If you have other ideas that could be included in the list, please let me know; I would like to try them.

Respectfully,

Glenn

...so, how is your TKES process going?

There have been a couple thousand hits to the TKES Blog since I started it--which is a surprise to me.  In the same idea, there has been a significant increase of hits in the last few weeks.  There has been a lot of interest on setting up the notebook, getting organized, evidence for 3.6, examples of document evidence, teacher evidence and documenting performance, uploading documents to The Platform, TKES Specific Ideas and Essays, Handbooks, Fact Sheet #15 Documenting Performance, and Classroom Management to name a few.

So, I'm curious if there is anything you have questions about, need help with, would like advice about, or have a topic that you would like me to either comment on or research.  All inquiries would be confidential.  My evaluations have gone well, but not quite like I would like - I wanted all 4s in all 10 categories.  Even though I have significant evidence available on site and have uploaded to The Platform (200-300 documents), I think I will not get 4s in all areas - the wording of some of the categories probably not allow it.  You are welcomed to send me an e-mail at gcason123@gmail.com for your thoughts, ideas, recommendations, suggestions, comments, requests.

Respectfully,
Glenn

In: Georgia Milestones (standardized test)---Out: CRCT---In: TKES---Out: Standardized Tests for Evaluating Teacher's Effectiveness for Student Achievement

The use of the standardized test that was to judge Georgia teachers' effectiveness on student achievement and therefore contribute significantly to the calculation for the Teacher Keys Effectiveness System, and ultimately the teachers' annual TEM score, is on hold - at least for one year.

Look at the article reporting on the State School Superintendent's thoughts here: AJC

Testing: Saying there is an overemphasis on test scores, Woods added, “We must aggressively lessen this burden.” He also wants a longer moratorium on using scores from the new Georgia Milestones k-12 tests, which roll out this year, to retain children or evaluate effective teaching. 

We were also presented with this update at our school.

(Sorry for the educational alphabet soup, but...)  

As I understand it; start out: Annual TEM score for teachers calculated through the TKES process which is composed of three parts: 1) calculations of student achievement gains determined through teacher-generated SLOs or standardized test results, 2) teachers receiving scores (1-4) on the 10 Standards and 72 Elements outlined in TAPS, and 3) student survey results.

Not even 12 months into the system, currently: 1) student achievement gains from SLOs thrown out [research indicates SLOs can be considered neither valid or reliable], 2) student achievement gains from standardized tests thrown out [my understanding: GA Milestone tests have not even been field tested for validity and reliability].  I would not be surprised if the TEM is thrown out before the end of the school year; that would leave TAPS and the student survey results.  I'd vote for keeping the TAPS only....

Lawsuit: Tennessee: use of students' academic standardized test scores in teacher evaluation for "non-tested" grades and subjects

from: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/teacherbeat/2015/02/new_nea_suit_in_tenn_challenge.html

Education Week's blogs
Teacher Beat NEA Lawsuit in Tennessee Challenges Evaluations of 'Non­Tested' Teachers
By Anthony Rebora on February 5, 2015 5:00 PM
Guest post by Anthony Rebora

The National Education Association's Tennessee affiliate today filed a new lawsuit challenging the state's use of students' standardized test scores in teacher evaluations, this time focusing on the system's effects on educators in "non-tested" grades and subjects.

Under Tennessee's much-watched evaluation system, unrolled in the 2011-12 school year, student test scores are factored into teachers' overall results through a statistical framework known as the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System that seeks to isolate educators' impact on student-achievement growth [emphasis added; (philosophically, this sounds like a good idea)].

Teachers in tested grades and subjects receive individual value-added scores that count for 35 percent of their overall evaluation score [emphasis added]. However, teachers in non-tested grades and subjects—more than half the educators in the state, according to the TEA—are given composite, school-based value-added scores (generally derived from students' scores in the tested subjects) that make up 25 percent of their evaluations [emphasis added].

The TEA's suit, which will be litigated by the National Education Association, names as co-plaintiffs two educators in non-tested subjects—a middle school visual arts teacher and a middle school physical education teacher—who say their evaluation scores dropped as a result of their school-based value-added scores. On account of their evaluation outcomes, the TEA says, one of the plaintiffs was denied a bonus, while the other lost her eligibility to be recommended for tenure [emphasis added].

Teachers in non-tested grades and subjects, the suit argues, are "being evaluated substantially based on school-level TVAAS estimates that do not reflect the contributions of these teachers to their students' learning in the courses they teach [emphasis added]. ... In fact, these school-level TVAAS estimates provide no indication at all as to the quality of the instruction of a particular teacher [emphasis added]."

The TEA contends that the system violates the educators' due process and equal protection rights under the U.S. Constitution.

In response to the suit, Tennessee's top education official defended the state's use of student-growth measures to evaluate teachers.

"Teachers are getting more feedback than ever to help improve their classroom instruction, and ultimately, student learning," Candice McQueen, the state's recently appointed commissioner of education, said in an emailed statement. "We see evidence that this is working; Tennessee students are the fastest improving in the nation. The department remains committed to providing meaningful feedback to teachers based, in part, on student growth."

However, Douglas N. Harris, an associate professor of economics at Tulane University in New Orleans who has studied teacher-evaluation approaches, said that the issue of scoring teachers in non-tested grades and subjects remains a key sticking point for state evaluation systems that seek to incorporate student-achievement growth.

In particular, Harris said, use of school-wide value-added scores is widely regarded as "blatantly unfair" because educators are seen as "being evaluated based on the performance of other teachers [emphasis added]." "On this issue, the union has a very good point," he said.

Comments: this is just but one of many flawed versions of teacher evaluation systems created by politicians.  Similar to the new system created in Georgia, the laws are created, passed, implemented, and then after enormous input from those affected by the poor legislation, adjusted to calm the cry of those affected.  Specifically, the Student Learning Objectives were created (I helped create the middle school SLO for band), implemented, and used as part of the TKES evaluation system for this current school year (after a year or more of piloting).  Before 5 months had passed, due to the outrage, the Georgia politicians reversed the decision to have the SLOs impact the overall teacher evaluation score.

For politicians in general and Tennessee in particular, they should know (at least intuitively) that 80% of the student achievement factors come from the home environment, 6.6% from school-level factors, and 13.4% from teacher-level factors (Marzano, 2000).  When I first saw those statistics from a DVD with Dr. Marzano presenting in one of my doctoral classes, I was devastated.  I suspected a similar relationship of the three factors, but never to that degree.  Dr. Marzano immediately pointed out that the teacher-level influence has twice effect the as the school-level impact; that added some comfort, but not much.  Essentially, through the use of effective instructional strategies the teacher can offset some of the student-level factors, but the 20% of influence on student achievement will never overpower the 80% influence.

As such, it seems out of line for Tennessee (and other states?) to calculate 25% of a "non-test" teacher's evaluation score for 0% influence on a student's academic achievement due to other teachers and school-level factors (6.6% influence).

America, and the states, run as a democracy (which is a good thing).  The people who vote decide those in political office.

Marzano, R. J. (2000). A new era of school reform: Going where the research takes us. Aurora, CO: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning.

Expected legislation

A friend sent me this information.  The highlighted areas are from the e-mail to indicate which items are concerned with education.

There are lots of other bills that are expected to be introduced.  Here are some of the more talked about proposals.

1. Gun Bill—gun advocates still want the opportunity to carry guns everywhere including college campuses.  Having seen some of the officiating calls in college football games this year, if this bill passes football officials may have to wear bullet proof vests!  It is anticipated that HB 826 will be reintroduced and gives school systems more flexibility in dealing with weapons that are not used in a threatening manner.
2. Expect some changes to TKES and LKES.   Legislators on the education committees heard an ear full at the listening sessions around the state.
3. Education Committee members are committed to changing the Status Quo option that systems have as a choice effective July 1, 2015.  The SBOE is already making changes to the IE2 and Charter System options via rule changes.
4. PBIS is gaining wide support throughout the state and you can anticipate that it will be funded at a higher level this year.
5. Many legislators are tired of hearing complaints about integrated math and you can anticipate that there will legislation aimed at returning us to discrete math whether or not the SBOE changes the rule.
6. One bill that will receive significant attention will be introduced by Rep. Mike Dudgeon of Johns Creek.  Rep. Dudgeon has announced that he will introduce a constitutional amendment that will call for the election of the State School Board by congressional district with the elected school board given the responsibility to appoint the State School Superintendent.  Constitutional amendment legislation if passed will not appear on the ballot until November 2016.
7. The Governor will appoint a commission to study the funding formula for education.  (Purdue did the same, they studied it for five years and all they came up with is IE2.)  It will be an arduous task to replaced QBE and maintain equity and fairness.  This one could get tricky!
8. Hopefully Common Core is an over and done issue.  The listening sessions, surveys, and defeat of Tea Party challengers should put an end to the common core challenges.

Steps to prepare for your observation

As I become more aware of my responsibilities for the TKES evaluation, I am trying to become more efficient (to reduce my stress!).  For my next evaluation, I followed this process:

1. I decided to make my lesson plans according to the TKES Lesson Plan design I created last year (see sample here) and make sure all drop down fields were accurate and up to date.
2. I typed up what will go on the SmartBoard for the students to know what we are doing in class that day.  I copied and pasted the student version to a new page in the same word processing document.
3. I slowly read through all 72 TAPS elements, and  as I saw an Element that may apply to my lesson that day, I inserted the outline number of the Element (say, 2.6 or 4.5) into the SmartBoard outline that I will give to the Evaluator.  
4. After reading all Elements, I have two documents that I  give to the Evaluator: a formal TKES lesson plan, and a student version of the lesson with the Elements identified.
5. I still have my TAPS notebooks with evidence in the cabinet as well as just the outlines of my evidence in my lesson plan notebook in case the Evaluator wants to see them.

What I noticed is that even some of my reminders to the students about upcoming activities or after school events can be tagged with an Element.  An after school practice, rehearsal, or event can count as 4.2, 4.3, &/or 4.6.  Reminding them about upcoming tests or units could count as 2.6, 3.2, &/or 4.6.

Sample portion of student version of lesson given to Evaluator

Give yourself a grade (1-5) on your progress today! [6.7] 6th grade: Brass: Lip Slurs [1.4, 1.6, 3.2, 4.1, 4.5, 4.6, 5.3, 6.1, 6.3, 6.6, 8.3, 8.5, 8.7]; Bells: Octave/Chromatic [1.4, 1.6, 3.2, 4.1, 4.6, 6.1, 6.3, 6.6, 8.3, 8.5, 8.7]; Flutes: Aperture control [1.4, 1.6, 3.2, 4.1, 4.5, 8.3, 8.5, 8.7]; Clarinets and Saxophones: register slurs to determine embouchure, tongue placement, amount of mouthpiece, reed quality, air stream, hand position [MMSBB.2.b, MMSBB.3.a] [1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 3.2, 4.1, 4.5, 4.6, 6.1, 6.3, 6.6, 8.3, 8.5, 8.7]

These steps are also outlined in "How to pass all 10 TAPS in one lesson" and "District Walkthrough"  here.