Value-Added Evaluation in NJ

Presented by: Claudia Lagos

 AcheiveNJ & TEACH NJ
• “The TEACH NJ Act is the tenure reform law that was enacted in August

2012. AchieveNJ provides the details and support structures necessary

to allow districts to implement the law effectively.

 TEACHNJ Act
• Tenure reform law
• Defines certain requirements and structures for the evaluation system in
New Jersey
• Requires that tenure decisions be linked to evaluation outcomes.
• Goal: “Raise student achievement by improving instruction through the
adoption of evaluations that provide specific feedback to educators, inform
the provision of aligned professional development, and inform personnel
decisions”
 Timeline of AchieveNJ
• 2010: New Jersey Department of Education worked towards improving educator evaluation
and supports.
• March 2011: The New Jersey Educator Effectiveness Task Force Report, outlines steps to
implement an improved evaluation system. Included in the steps is a two-year pilot that
involved more than 15,000 teachers and principals.
• 2012: TEACHNJ Act — is approved by the State Legislature and signed into law by
Governor Christie, mandating many requirements for the new statewide educator evaluation
system and connects tenure decisions to evaluation ratings.
• September 11, 2013, the State Board of Education approved regulations outlining specific
evaluation policies for 2013–14 — the first year of full statewide implementation of this
new system, AchieveNJ.
 AcheiveNJ
• AchieveNJ relies measures that
include components of both
student achievement and teacher
practice.
• Although New Jersey teachers
receive an annual summative
evaluation rating of Highly
Effective, Effective, Partially
Effective, or Ineffective, the
components used vary depending
on the grades and subjects that
educators teach.
 AchieveNJ: Teacher Evaluation
• Two types of measures: Student Achievement and Teacher Practice
• Student achievement is measured via SGPs and SGOs
• Teacher Practice is measured via a state-approved teacher practice instrument
• https://www.nj.gov/education/AchieveNJ/teacher/approvedlist.pdf
• Non-tenured 3 observation
• Tenured 2 observation
• Corrective Action Plan plus 1
 SGPs & SGOs
• measure student achievement gains • academic goals for groups of students
within 4th-8th-grade Language Arts and that each teacher sets with his or her
4th - 7th-grade Math, referred to as the principal or supervisor at the start of the
“tested grades and subjects year
• counts for 15% of a teacher’s evaluation
• Via state assessments compares the
• should be aligned to standards and
change in a student’s achievement from
measured using high quality assessments
one year to the next to that of all other
of various types including locally-
students in the state who had similar
developed tests, performance
historical results (the student’s
assessments, and portfolios.
“academic peers”)
Principal & VP/AP Evaluation
 Principal Practice
At least two observations using a state- approved, research-based

principal practice instrument (non-tenured principals receive 3 observations).

Evidence of practice may be gathered through:

• Conferencing following instructional
rounds Stakeholder engagement activities such as
• Observation of instruction leadership • Parent conference
events including but not limited to • PTO meeting
• Conferencing around selected
• professional development activities
artifacts or data
• post observation conference
• data team meeting
 Student Achievement
• Student Growth Objective Average: Average of every teacher's SGO
rating for the year. AP’s and VP’s may use only the SGO ratings of a subset
of teachers for whom they are more directly responsible.
• School-wide Student Growth Percentile (School-wide SGP): The
median score of all the SGPs scores in a school.
• Administrator Goals: One to four goals set by principals in consultation
with their Chief School Administrators. Assistant and vice-principals may set
the same goals as the principals or others that more closely reflect their
responsibilities within the school.
 Danielson Domain 3
• 3a Communicating with Students
• 3b Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques
Danielson Framework is
• 3c Engaging Students in Learning used as a Teacher Practice
measurer. It contains 4
• 3d Using Assessment in Instruction domains. Domain 3
• 3e Demonstrating Flexibility and Responsiveness focuses on Instruction.
 Danielson Domain Indicators
3a Communicating with Students
• Clarity of lesson purpose
• Clear directions and procedures specific to the lesson activities
• Absence of content errors and clear explanations of concepts and strategies
• Students comprehension of content
• Correct and imaginative use of language
• Assessed student work - specific feedback
• Use of electronic communication: Emails, Wiki, Web pages Formative Assessments:
Exit / Entry Slip
 Danielson Domain Indicators
3b Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques
• Questions of high cognitive challenge, formulated by both students and teacher
• Questions with multiple correct answers or multiple approaches, even when there is a single
correct response
• Effective use of student responses and ideas
• Discussion, with the teacher stepping out of the central, mediating role
• High levels of student participation in discussion
• Student Work: Write/Pair/Share, student generated discussion questions, online discussion
• Focus on the reasoning exhibited by students in discussion, both in give-and take with the
teacher and with their classmates
 Danielson Domain Indicators
3c Engaging Students in Learning
• Activities aligned with the goals of the lesson
• Student enthusiasm, interest, thinking, problem-solving, etc.
• Learning tasks that require high-level student thinking and invite students to explain their
thinking
• Students highly motivated to work on all tasks and persistent even when the tasks are challenging
• Students actively “working,” rather than watching while their teacher “works”
• Suitable pacing of the lesson: neither dragging out nor rushed, with time for closure and student
reflection
• Student – student conversation - Student directed or led activities / content
 Danielson Domain Indicators
3d Using Assessment in Instruction
• The teacher paying close attention to evidence of student understanding
• The teacher posing specifically created questions to elicit evidence of student
understanding
• The teacher circulating to monitor student learning and to offer feedback
• Students assessing their own work against established criteria
• Assessment tools: use of rubrics
• Formative / Summative assess tools: frequency, descriptive feedback to students
• Lesson plans adjusted based on assessment
 Danielson Domain Indicators
3e Demonstrating Flexibility and Responsiveness

• Incorporation of students’ interests and daily events into a lesson

• The teacher adjusting instruction in response to evident of student
understanding (or lack of it)
• Teacher seizing on a teachable moment
• Lesson Plans: Use of formative assessment, use of multiple instructional
strategies
 References
• https://www.nj.gov/education/AchieveNJ/intro/guide.pdf
• https://www.nj.gov/education/genfo/faq/faq_eval.shtml
• https://www.state.nj.us/education/AchieveNJ/intro/guide.pdf
• https://www.state.nj.us/education/AchieveNJ/intro/1PagerTeachers.pdf
• https://www.state.nj.us/education/AchieveNJ/principal/
• https://bb.wpunj.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-1932303-dt-content-rid-
14116304_1/courses/201840-EDLP6090-
80/Title%2018A%20tenure%20Law%208.6.12.pdf
• https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/ee/pdf/TeacherEvidenceSources.pdf