All items and work requested for this project have been completed and the project is now closed.

Karen Wyler, Teacher and Principal Induction, IHE Evaluation System specialist, Teacher & Leader Effectiveness, participated in the Georgia team at the Talent for Turnaround national meeting in Houston, June 15–17. She brought valuable insight to the work of the team that included School and District Effectiveness and Special Education representation.

SECC’s Glenda Copeland contacted Cindy Saxon, associate superintendent, Teacher and Leader Effectiveness, at GaDOE, to inquire about assistance that SECC might provide as the group works on revisions to guidance documents that reflect changes to the TKES and LKES evaluation processes based on legislation passed this spring. As specific assistance is identified, Saxon will contact Copeland. 

There are no updates this month.

SECC staff member Glenda Copeland met with Cindy Saxon, GaDOE associate superintendent, and Julie Nolan, Equity program manager, on March 22 to discuss legislation that brings changes to TKES and LKES implementation. The current legislative session ends March 24. In addition, SECC staff member Robyn Madison-Harris is guiding a team that is providing assistance in analyzing data from a master file to provide results for the state, regional, district, and school levels for each district in the state to utilize in developing their own equity plans. This data will also be used by regional P-20 collaboratives formed by GaDOE, the Professional Standards Commission, and the University System of Georgia to address educational concerns in their regions.

SECC’s Robyn Madison-Harris met with Julie Nolan, Equity program manager, on February 9 and communicated via e-mail to discuss partnering with SECC for analyzing and displaying megafile data, aggregated per district, for use while working with the SEA on writing, implementing, and evaluating their LEA equity plans. With these plans in place, districts will be presented with data around which they can plan for ensuring that all students have equitable access to quality teachers in classrooms.

SECC’s Glenda Copeland met with GaDOE staff Cindy Saxon, associate superintendent; and Julie Nolan, equity program manager; on January 28 to discuss evolving needs in support of TKES and LKES implementation and resources to support districts’ development of their equity plans. Since legislation is currently being introduced that may impact specifics of the evaluation process which will not be clear until the end of the legislative session in March, additional support will be reviewed at that time. In support of the Georgia equity plan, SECC is requested to provide assistance in analyzing data from a master file to provide results for the state, regional, district, and school levels for each district in the state to utilize in developing their own equity plans. The training sessions will be designed and held in conjunction with the Special Education department. This data will also be used with regional P–20 collaboratives formed by GaDOE, the Professional Standards Commission, and the University System of Georgia to address educational concerns in the region.

SECC’s Glenda Copeland and Amy Potemski, AIR partner staff, completed requested revisions to the Interim report and submitted the report to Cindy Saxon, associate superintendent, Teacher and Leader Effectiveness, on September 9. To protect the integrity of participants’ comments from the focus group sessions, SECC staff made minor editorial changes to text in the tables, which did not affect the meaning.SECC replaced the last set of exemplar review draft documents with final forms and sent them to the GaDOE so that both entities will have polished versions with which to populate their document repositories.

Glenda Copeland, SECC Georgia state liaison, and Amy Potemski, AIR partner staff, completed the analysis of feedback data regarding TKES and LKES implementation and submitted the summary report to Cindy Saxon, GaDOE associate superintendent, Teacher and Leader Effectiveness, on August 28. This data was combined with that from the interim report to inform revisions to the evaluation process.Erin McCann, SECC senior researcher, has worked with Saxon and staff in analyzing data from their online surveys with TKES and LKES implementers in the state. Together, they identified ways to provide more insight from the data sets.Additionally, SECC staff continue to replace exemplar review draft documents with final forms and to send them to GaDOE so that both entities will have polished versions with which to populate their document repositories.

Glenda Copeland, SECC/AIR senior TA consultant, and Amy Potemski of GaDOE have begun the analysis process on feedback data regarding TKES and LKES implementation. This data will be combined with that included in the interim report to produce a summative report that will inform revisions to the evaluation process.SECC continues to replace exemplar review draft documents with final forms and send them to the GaDOE so that both entities will have polished versions with which to populate their document repositories.

Glenda Copeland, SECC Georgia state liaison, completed recording comments about implementation concerns regarding the Teacher and Leader Keys Effectiveness Systems from all spring sessions and sent them to Amy Potemski to begin the analysis process. This data will be combined with that included in the interim report to produce a summative report that will inform revisions to the evaluation process. Additionally, SECC continues to replace exemplar review draft documents with final forms and send them to GaDOE so that both entities will have polished versions with which to populate their document repositories.

SECC staff remitted the last drafts of exemplar reviews to the GaDOE. Reviews of the exemplar assessments included feedback as to whether items within such met the appropriate Depth of Knowledge level and other good assessment criteria that appropriately align to the standards that the items measure. There are approximately 140 exemplars that have been reviewed and for which findings have been remitted to Georgia to date. SECC staff will continue to replace the drafts with final versions so that both entities will have polished versions with which to populate their document repositories. Glenda Copeland, SECC staff member, facilitated feedback sessions for administrators and teachers at the remaining RESAs from May 4–14. Feedback was collected from Heart of Georgia, Oconee, Central Savannah River, 1st District, Okefenokee, Southwest Georgia, and Coastal Plaines RESAs. AIR partner staff and Copeland then recorded comments about implementation concerns regarding the Teacher and Leader Keys Effectiveness Systems from all spring sessions. This data will be combined with that included in the interim report to produce a summative report that will inform revisions to the evaluation process.

SECC/AIR continues to assist the GaDOE with reviewing exemplar assessments and providing feedback as to whether items meet the appropriate Depth of Knowledge level and other good assessment criteria, which appropriately align to the standards that the items measure. Several Healthcare and Graphic Design exemplar reviews were remitted to Georgia during April. SECC Program Associate Glenda Copeland and AIR partner staff analyzed feedback from the 16 completed RESA feedback sessions to complete the interim report, which was provided to Cindy Saxon at GaDOE on April 24. Copeland facilitated feedback sessions for administrators and teachers at the NW Georgia, N Georgia, Pioneer, and W Georgia RESAs from April 20–27 to begin the spring collection of responses to implementation concerns of the Teacher and Leader Keys Effectiveness Systems. This data will be combined with that included in the interim report to inform revisions to the process.

SECC staff and AIR partner staff continued reviewing recently created student learning objectives (SLO) exemplar assessments regarding their alignment of levels of rigor, alignment of assessments to identified standards, and other qualities of good assessments. One hundred and thirty exemplars have been completed and reviews provided to Teacher & Leader staff.AIR partners are analyzing feedback from the 16 completed RESA feedback sessions to complete an interim report by the end of April.

SECC staff and AIR consultants continue to review recently created student learning objective (SLO) exemplar assessments regarding their alignment of levels of rigor, alignment of assessments to identified standards, and other qualities of good assessments. One hundred and six exemplars have been completed and reviews provided to teacher and leader staff at GaDOE.Glenda Copeland, SECC program associate, facilitated feedback sessions with the staff of Teacher and Leader Effectiveness at Metro RESA on February 13. Administrators and teachers attended separate sessions to provide input on the implementation of the TKES and LKES evaluation systems. Sessions for all 16 RESAs will be repeated in the spring. David English, AIR partner, has begun analyzing the feedback from the 16 completed sessions for an interim report that will be completed by the end of March.

SECC staff continue to review recently created student learning objectives (SLO) exemplar assessments regarding alignment of levels of rigor of assessments and standards. A second round of over 100 exemplar assessment reviews will begin in the spring.Glenda Copeland, SECC Georgia state liaison, facilitated feedback sessions with the staff of Teacher and Leader Effectiveness at Northwest Georgia Oconee, Okefenokee, Costal Plains, and Southwest Georgia RESAs. David English, AIR staff member, facilitated the session at Heart of Georgia RESA, and Robyn Madison-Harris, SECC program associate, facilitated sessions at Central Savannah River and First District RESAs. Administrators and teachers attend separate sessions to provide input on the implementation of TKES and LKES throughout the state. Sessions for all 16 RESAs were completed in January and will be repeated in the spring.

SECC staff and consultants continue to review recently created student learning objectives (SLO) exemplar assessments regarding alignment of levels of rigor of assessments and standards. A second round of over 100 exemplar assessment reviews will begin in the spring.SECC program associate Glenda Copeland facilitated feedback sessions with the staff of Teacher and Leader Effectiveness at Pioneer, Griffin, and Northwest Georgia regional education service agencies (RESAs). David English, AIR, conducted feedback sessions at the Chattahoochee-Flint RESA. Administrators and teachers attend separate sessions to provide input on the implementation of TKES and LKES throughout the state. Sessions for the 16 RESAs will be completed in January and then repeated in the spring.The Center on Great Teachers and Leaders provided research on frequency, duration, and types of observations and a list of existing state requirements for the number of observations teachers must have as part of a performance evaluation as requested by GaDOE on December 4, 2014. 

SECC staff and consultants continue to review the 10 recently created student learning objective (SLO) exemplar assessments regarding alignment of levels of rigor of assessments and standards. A second round of over 100 exemplar assessments will begin reviews in the spring.Glenda Copeland, SECC program associate, has facilitated two feedback sessions with the staff of Teacher and Leader Effectiveness at Georgia’s RESAs. Administrators and teachers will attend separate sessions to provide input on the implementation of TKES and LKES throughout the state. There will be sessions in all 16 RESAs through January and repeated in the spring.The Center on Great Teachers and Leaders is assisting SECC in providing research on frequency, duration, and types of observations and a list of existing state requirements for the number of observations teachers must have as part of a performance evaluation.

SECC staff and consultants continued their review of recently created student learning objective exemplar assessments regarding alignment of levels of rigor of assessments and standards. On October 15, Glenda Copeland, SECC program associate, met with Cindy Saxon, GaDOE associate superintendent, and her management staff to define the work identified on the SECC Year 3 work plan. A conference call with Lisa Lachlan, Center for Great Teachers and Leaders, led to the development of a plan to review state and district approaches to teacher observation formats and to provide assistance in cofacilitating data collection, analysis, and reporting on TKES and LKES from regional feedback sessions.

SECC assisted the GaDOE with reviewing student learning objectives assessments and providing feedback as to whether items within such meet the appropriate Depth of Knowledge level, and other good assessment criteria that appropriately align to the levels of the standards which the items measure. SECC and partners from American Institutes for Research are assisting with the reviews. Approximately 40 exemplars have been reviewed to date.

SECC staff and partners continued the review of recently created student learning objective (SLO) exemplar assessments regarding alignment of levels of rigor of assessments and standards. SECC Program Associate Robyn Madison-Harris has delivered ongoing training for reviewers from partner staff of AIR, who are assisting with the reviews. Approximately 30 exemplars have been reviewed to date.

SECC Program Associate Robyn Madison-Harris presented a session for Teacher and Leader Effectiveness new staff on raising the rigor of assessment items aligned to standards using the work of Norman Webb on July 11. SECC staff and consultants began a review of recently created exemplar student learning objectives (SLO) assessments and will continue reviewing over 100 exemplars. On July 29, Madison-Harris trained reviewers from AIR partner staff, who are assisting with the exemplar review.

SECC Program Associate Camille Chapman prepared a presentation for the Teacher and Leader Effectiveness unit regarding raising the rigor of assessment items aligned to standards using the work of Norman Webb. Robyn Madison-Harris, SECC program associate, will deliver the training in July. Georgia’s Michelle Purvis requested that SECC provide a review of recently created exemplar student learning objectives (SLO) assessments for use in districts across Georgia.

All CTAE course reviews were sent to GaDOE in May, completing the 69 course student learning objective (SLO) reviews requested. To support the capacity-building efforts of the Teacher and Leader Effectiveness group, in July, SECC Program Associate Robyn Madison-Harris will conduct a training session for their staff on revising current SLOs to increase their rigor to match that of the standards.

CTAE courses sent to GaDOE in March include Audiovideo Technology and Film I; Early Childhood Care and Education I; Food Nutrition, and Wellness; Introduction to Culinary Arts; Introduction to Digital Technology; and Middle School Introduction to Business and Technology. There are six remaining courses under review.Beth Howard-Brown, director, SECC, and Glenda Copeland, SECC GA liaison, held a conference call on March 14 with Avis King, deputy superintendent, School Improvement, Cindy Saxon, associate superintendent, Teacher and Leader Effectiveness, and Michelle Purvis, evaluation system specialist, to discuss options for future support for their work. 

In February, SECC received a request to continue to review additional items for courses previously reviewed in Year 1. A conference call has been set up in March to discuss the details of this request. Three Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) courses have been completed and sent to GaDOE. Additionally, reviews of three more CTAE courses have been completed and are being edited for submission to GaDOE. Eight courses are currently in the hands of reviewers, and the final reviewer has been identified and will be trained for an engineering course.

In December, Cindy Saxon, associate superintendent, and Michelle Purvis, evaluation system specialist, requested that SECC assist in reviewing the alignment of a proposed Georgia Board of Education policy regarding the Teacher Keys Evaluation System and Leader Keys Evaluation System implementation in Georgia. Research Associate Catherine Jacques, SECC partner staff from AIR, and author with reviewers, Winsome Waite, AIR partner; Beth Howard-Brown, SECC director; and Glenda Copeland, SECC program associate; produced the report Alignment Review: House Bill 244, Draft Board Rules, and Draft Teacher and Leader Evaluation Handbooks, which was submitted to GaDOE on January 30.Camille Chapman, SECC program associate, indicates that two additional CTAE courses have been completed and are being edited for submission to GaDOE. Also, two additional reviewers for agricultural courses have been identified and trained.

Camille Chapman, SECC program associate, reports that reviews are continuing for the Georgia High School Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) courses. Ramona Chauvin, SECC program associate, completed her review for Coordinated Career Academic Education and it was edited, approved, and sent to GaDOE on December 4, 2013. Partner staff from AIR are assisting in locating reviewers for courses that SECC staff do not have the needed expertise. A reviewer for Food, Nutrition, and Wellness and Introduction to Culinary Arts has been trained and begun her review.

Camille Chapman, SECC program associate, reports that the team has completed two of the 15 Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education course student learning objectives (SLOs). Michelle Purvis, GaDOE evaluation system specialist and project director, has expressed her appreciation for the 54 reviews that were completed previously. Staff from AIR (SECC’s partner) are assisting in locating reviewers for courses for which SECC staff do not have the needed expertise.

Camille Chapman, SECC program associate, reports that the team has completed reviews of all 54 courses in the original request from GaDOE. As requested by Michelle Purvis, GaDOE evaluation system specialist and project director, SECC continues to support the review process of 15 Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education course student learning objectives (SLOs). The SECC staff have completed several reviews, and our partner staff from AIR are assisting in locating reviewers in remaining areas.

Camille Chapman, SECC program associate, and her team have completed the reviews of 48 of the 54 courses to GaDOE. A number of other course reviews are complete and awaiting editing and approval. Michelle Purvis, GaDOE evaluation system specialist and project director, has requested that SECC continue to support the review process by reviewing 15 Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education course student learning objectives. SECC staff are beginning that review in October in addition to completing the remaining courses from the original request.

Camille Chapman, SECC program associate, reports that the team has sent the completed reviews of 33 of the 54 courses to GaDOE. A number of other course reviews are complete and awaiting editing and approval. Michelle Purvis, GaDOE evaluation system specialist and project director, has requested that SECC continue to support the review process by reviewing 15 Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education course SLOs. SECC staff is beginning that review in addition to the remaining courses from the original request.

Camille Chapman, SECC program associate, reports that the team has sent the completed reviews of 19 of the 54 courses to GaDOE. A number of other course reviews are complete and awaiting editing and approval. Avis King, MDE Deputy Superintendent, has requested that SECC continue to support the review process as new course SLOs are completed.

Camille Chapman, SECC program associate, reports that the team has completed the reviews of American government, forensics, ecology, first grade music, fourth grade music, and seventh grade music. Several other course reviews are complete and awaiting editing and approval.

SECC Program Associates Camille Chapman (lead), Como Molina, Haidee Williams, and Robyn Madison-Harris will develop a process for content reviews of student assessments developed by Georgia educators for use in the Teacher Effectiveness System process for teachers of non-tested subjects. This group met at GaDOE with Michelle Purvis, Teacher and Leader Quality Division,on May 20–24. Initial subject reviews of four courses have been completed, and additional team members have been added for social studies, chemistry and physics, calculus, German, and Chinese. With assistance from partners at AIR and consultants, the SECC team will review over 2,000 assessment items over the next several months. 

SECC staff sent two CTAE course reviews to GaDOE in April and will complete and forward the remaining two CTAE courses in May. That will complete the initial review of SLOs for 69 courses. To support the capacity-building efforts of the Teacher and Leader Effectiveness Group, SECC Program Associate Camille Chapman will conduct a training session in July for their staff on revising current SLOs to increase course rigor to match that of the standard.

SECC continues to work with GaDOE to determine the state’s technical assistance needs in this area, with a focus on supporting the state in monitoring student learning objectives (SLO) implementation. Camille Chapman, SECC program associate, began discussions with Michelle Purvis, Teacher and Leader Quality Division, to establish content reviews of SLOs developed by Georgia educators for use in the Teacher Effectiveness System process for teachers of non-tested subjects. The SECC team providing the review, in addition to Chapman, includes Glenda Copeland, Como Molina, Robyn Madison-Harris, and Haidee Williams.

SECC and GaDOE staff held an orientation teleconference at the beginning of March to discuss SECC technical support for Georgia’s educator evaluation efforts. SECC staff are working to initiate areas of support identified during the teleconference, particularly around GaDOE’s implementation of student learning objectives (SLOs).