An update for the Board of Education

April 2015

Presentation overview

• About the pilot • Student success • Effective teachers • Successful schools • Panel presentation • Q & A • Next steps

The pilot

• Jeffco’s strategic compensation pilot – 20 schools (10 design, 10 control) – 650+ educators – Funded by a 5-year, $39 million federal Teacher

Incentive Fund grant—the largest the district has ever received • 1 year of planning (2010-11) • 4 years of action research in schools

Action research partners

Two external researchers evaluating Jeffco’s pilot

– Mathematica Analyzing whether or not additional compensation for educators makes a difference for student achievement

– American Institute of Research (AIR) Evaluating which supports for teachers and principals have the greatest impact on student achievement

The supports

Six components tested to see what makes the most difference for students

1. Student achievement—school and team academic growth goals

2. Collaboration—extra time to work in teams 3. Professional learning—job-embedded 4. Shared leadership—instructional leadership teams 5. Evaluation—shared and co-owned by two different

evaluators, administrators and peers 6. Compensation—stipends for results (design schools)

Midcourse research findings: Student Success

Higher Implementing Schools Research findings from 2014 analysis found:

– Higher levels of implementation of quality practices were associated with higher levels of student growth.

– High-implementing schools outperformed low-implementing schools:

• in reading by 1 percent • in writing by 5 percent • in mathematics by 15 percent

Midcourse research findings: Effective teachers

Educator observation and evaluation system Strongest component of the pilot

– Body of evidence

– Growth producing feedback

– Job-embedded support & professional development

Midcourse research findings: Effective teachers

Additional successes: – A shared language around instruction and a shared

understanding of effective instructional practices.

– Response to feedback: teacher engagement in support structures to address areas of improvement.

– Focus has shifted from teachers moving toward or higher in the effective band to moving toward highly effective.

– Educators who continued teaching in pilot schools for at least two years tended to have higher ratings than those who did not return, indicating the pilot is retaining higher performing teachers.

Effective teachers and Student success

Educator effectiveness ratings are positively associated

with student achievement Students who showed the most academic growth from the first to second year learned with educators who were rated more effective on Jeffco’s evaluation rubrics.

Midcourse research findings: Successful schools

Urgency Quality Practice

Substantive Student Results

Urgency Random Student Results

Quality Practice

Gradual Student Results

Midcourse research findings: Urgency

Urgency in design schools created by stipends for:

– Teams: Achieving school and team academic growth goals for students

– Individual: Outstanding professional evaluation

Midcourse research findings: Quality Practice

Quality practices Higher levels of implementation are associated with

higher levels of student academic growth

– Strong leaders/shared leadership – Culture of collaboration – Professional learning communities – Rigorous evaluation, growth-focused feedback and

professional development

Midcourse research findings: Successful Schools

Shared leadership Principal leadership has been a crucial factor in implementing this initiative

• For example, principals: – Articulated a school vision that was aligned with the initiative – Created a climate of trust – Identified clear roles and responsibilities for leadership team – Communicated high expectations for all educators – Managed resistance by communicating transparently and

addressing problems

Panel discussion

View from the schools:

Leaders and staff from high implementing schools.

Next steps

• Research this spring • No-cost, one-year extension

– No additional funding – No stipends for goals or evaluations – Supports will continue

• One master teacher in each school • Peer evaluators • Release time • Ongoing training

No-cost extension

Eight schools will serve as learning model schools; chosen on basis of:

– Student academic growth over time – High implementation of pilot components – School staff’s willingness to participate – Commitment to share learning with the rest of the

district

– Part of a developing Jeffco successful schools network

Learning model schools

Eight schools: 6 elementary and 2 middle schools

– Deane Elementary

– Foster Elementary

– Wilmore-Davis Elementary

– Kullerstrand Elementary

– Green Mountain Elementary

– Thomson Elementary

– North Arvada Middle

– Everitt Middle

Thanks!

• We have learned a lot and look forward to scaling up our successes district-wide.

• We are eager for the next phase – eight schools serving as learning model schools next year.

Thank you!

Final Questions?