TKES: SLO, Day 2-Timing

Note: these comments are for the benefit of those who still have time to plan and or make adjustments to their pre-tests.  I thought ours were going to be great, flawless, and easy...that has not been the case.

Legislators should take note about what they have required us to do.  The teachers who were involved in creating our SLO (Student Learning Object) test as a part of the TKES (Teacher Keys Effectiveness System) evaluation did the best they could with the information they were given (I was one of those teachers).  In hindsight, we needed more and better information at the beginning and more time to develop and test for a truly valid and reliable instrument.

For example: I think some teachers had created a written portion of the SLO that had over 100 questions, some with 35 questions, some with 65+; apparently some of the SLOs cover portions of the entire curriculum, some that cover only the major parts (where the most time is spent during the year).  Again, it seems as if there are so many variables, the validity and reliability could come into question (IES and REL have already spoken on this matter).  While I think that my giving my post-test to the same students will reveal valid results, I don't think that it would reliable across the subject matter in my county; there are certain performance aspects that each teacher is to develop for their class.  This performance aspect should be well thought out, prepared, organized, and an effective measurement of the performance task.

Timing:

• In our county, we are supposed to administer the SLO during the first 2 weeks of school.  This is the same time period where the students are still shifting in their Connections classes, students are entering the school and moving to another school.  The rosters are changing, being printed, put in teachers' boxes for the next day; but, the computer system doesn't update until after 12 midnight.  Therefore, the rosters in our boxes are not correct for the students who should be in the class.  We had to individually tell students what classes to go to - as they're walking in the door.  This took time out of our testing window.
• It is possible that the written portion of a SLO may be given for at least 45 minutes.  The Connections class period is 45 minutes - which includes the transition to the class, calling roll, setting up for the test, etc.  Therefore, unless the Connections classes are only meeting the A block for 90 minutes, a regular Connection class of 45 minutes can't meet the requirements for the test.  Some schools are extending the A class (and B class the next day) for the 90 minutes, others are not.  This timing issue would never be allowed in the CRCT (which is now gone away for Georgia).  It appears that there was an assumption that each Connections class would be extended for the entire 90 minute block: Class A on Day 1, Class B on Day 2.
• Some of the performance aspects for some of the Connections classes are given 5 minutes per student to demonstrate mastery.  This creates 2 huge issues:
• There is a teacher in the county that has 70 students in one class....Do the math.  How many class periods will that take to administer just the performance aspect of the SLO?  14 days - if everything works perfectly.
• Some teachers have completed the written portion of the SLO but now have to complete the performance (or spoke/language) portion next week.  That's fine except we have ITBS testing Monday - Thursday AND CogAT testing next week.  The entire school schedule is adjusted and Connections classes will not be more than 35 minutes each - and that does not include the transition to class, calling roll, distributing material, etc.  So, if a teacher has 30 students and has to give 5 minutes to an individual student demonstrating their performance, but only has 25 minutes of class time, how many DAYS will it take to pre-assess the class?  I count 6 DAYS.  6 days for performance, 1 day for written this 9 weeks; then 7 days again at the end of the year: that is almost 3 instructional weeks missed due to testing....

I recommend that you get with your administrator(s), TKES evaluator, or assessment coordinator and try to work out as many bugs as you can before the day of the test.  If you would like advice or other thoughts, please contact me....