Featured speaker: Dr. Carol Johnson, Superintendent of Boston Public Schools

Panelists:Dr. Cynthia Hays, Chief Academic Officer; John Verre, Assistant Superintendent for Special Education & Student Services; Dr. Joan Anderson, Executive Director, Special Education and Student Services; Catherine Chiu, Director of Guidance Services; Ross Wilson, Asst. Superintendent, Office of Teacher and Leadership Effectiveness; Linda Chen, Deputy Chief Academic Officer

At this event, 100 teachers shared their perspective on ways in which the Boston Public Schools can improve student support services in the district. To begin the event, Dr. Johnson welcomed teachers and panelists by outlining the impacts of previous Superintendent + Teacher Share events (see here and here) and reiterating the value of talking directly with teachers about what they need to do their work effectively. Over half (51%) of teachers in attendance thought that the services in their school are “not enough” to improve student achievement, while 23% said that their schools “somewhat” provide the necessary support. When asked whether their school demonstrates a commitment to inclusive practices, about a quarter (24%) of teachers said yes, 55% said “somewhat,” and 21% said no. 

During small group discussion, teachers elaborated on the best practices of this inclusive model noting that it happens most effectively where there are enough trained professionals on hand to meet the needs of students and when there is adequate time for the professionals serving these students to collaborate. Teachers also highlighted the value of having well-qualified paraprofessionals and requested that the district do more to ensure that these individuals are supported with the professional development experiences necessary to work with specialized populations. Panelists explained that the district is in the early stages of implementing the Academic Achievement Framework (AAF) which is designed to support inclusion-based practices at the school. More than a third of teachers (36%) said they were unfamiliar with AAF, while the next highest percentage – 27% - stated that they were aware of the initiative, however their school is not currently implementing AAF. During an open Q&A portion, teachers had the opportunity to ask panelists questions and also suggest specific ways that the district can better support students.

Featuring: Dr. Carol Johnson, Superintendent of Boston Public Schools

At this event, Dr. Johnson talked with teachers about how Boston Public Schools can support effective teaching. Dr. Johnson began the event with brief introductions for more than 25 central office staff that were in attendance specifically to hear what teachers had to say. The Superintendent also discussed the actions BPS has taken in response to feedback from the April session of the Superintendent + Teacher Share series (check out the April event recap below). After, 73 teachers chose two topics to focus on: school cultures that support effective teaching and defining effective teaching. On the topic of school culture, 25% of teachers said their school has a positive culture while 55% indicated that their school cultures were somewhat positive. Teachers indicated that school leadership is critical to a strong school culture. In response to whether teachers have opportunities to learn from colleagues within their school, 31% said that they frequently do, 39% stated that such opportunities occur on an occasional basis and only 4% said that this never happens. Forty-two percent of teachers named time as the biggest challenge to building a collaborative culture and learning from colleagues. On the topic of defining effective teaching, many teachers claim that their definitions of effective teaching primarily derive from themselves (50%) or colleagues (25%). Additionally, only 21% of teachers said that their schools embraced a common definition of teaching, with another 45% saying that this was somewhat true. 

Dr. Johnson will hear from teachers again during the continuation of the Superintendent + Teacher Share series, February 7th and May 8th.

Featuring: Steven Brill, journalist and author of Class Warfare: Inside the Fight to Fix America’s Schools

This event was attended by a wide range of educators, policymakers, and community members. While more than half of the audience were teachers, there were also union representatives, state and district leaders, and other education stakeholders in attendance. In addition, the event was live-streamed on the Teach Plus website. Check out the recorded event here.

Steven Brill opened the night with a short book talk in which he relayed three anecdotes that illustrated major themes in his book: the sustainability of great teaching, the role of unions in reform, and the successes of highly effective charter schools. Following this brief overview, Brill answered interview questions from Teach Plus and audience members. Event conversation centered on how to move reform forward with specific focus on attracting and retaining effective teaching and union collaboration. When asked which reform holds the most promise in keeping effective teachers, sixty-seven percent of teachers in the audience said that effective colleagues and administrators would do the trick. In response, Brill contended that three of the other choices-- reforming compensation, creating differentiated roles, and ensuring supportive working conditions – would actually be the basis for retaining cohorts of effective peers and administrators. On the topic of unions, forty-four percent of teachers said that they are only minimally involved in their local union while more than half of all teachers said that the union’s vision/direction is a barrier to becoming more involved. A lively discussion and Q&A session followed.

If you missed the event or want to see pieces of it again, watch the full discussion here.

This event, run in partnership with the Massachusetts Teachers Association, featured the screening of American Teacher, a documentary that highlights the need for compensation reform in order to attract and retain great teachers. Following the viewing, Paul Toner, president of the MTA, moderated a discussion with about 200 participants about their reactions to the film and ways in which teacher compensation could be re-envisioned. Teachers responded to a few questions using interactive polling technology and elaborated on the results in an open forum. While 8% of teachers polled said that compensation did not factor in at all in their decision to stay in teaching, 65% of the audience said that it significantly or somewhat did. When asked what compensation should be based on, teachers rated successful evaluations and working in academically challenging schools at the top of their list, followed closely by student achievement based in part on standardized test scores. Although teachers still value years of experience in determining compensation it ranked last among the factors listed. When asked to consider an alternative to the traditional step-and-lane pay scale, 87% of teachers said that they would strongly or somewhat support such a reform. Of the teachers in the audience 44% strongly supported the inclusion of teacher performance in determining compensation if evaluations are done by a trusted and highly competent evaluator.

Teachers are encouraged to continue the discussion by hosting their own community screening and weighing in at an online forum where the film’s producer, Ninive Calegari, has posed a question specifically to T+ Network teachers across the country.

At this event teachers weighed in on new regulations that require teacher feedback to play a role in administrator evaluations. After learning about new policies, teachers engaged in small group conversations to discuss what they value in a principal. In these working groups, teachers also reviewed the state’s draft of a model principal evaluation rubric to provide specific feedback to DESE and local leaders responsible for the development of the evaluation instruments. When asked whether they thought if the rubric reflected their vision of an effective principal, 77% of teachers agreed or strongly agreed that it did. Most teachers (90%) were willing to provide feedback on their principals two or more times over the course of the year, and 54% were open to spending up to 60 minutes giving this feedback. Further, 60% of the audience felt that the mechanism for collecting teacher feedback should be a combination of surveys and more intensive data-collection methods such as interviews or observations. 

Over the next few weeks, Teaching Policy Fellows will be reviewing notes collected during the small group discussions and publishing themes from teachers’ feedback in a policy memo to state officials. Karla Baehr, who is leading the state development of this tool at DESE, and Ross Wilson, BPS Assistant Superintendent in the Office of Teacher and Leadership Effectiveness are waiting to hear the feedback from this event to help shape their work with principal evaluation.

Check back soon to read the policy brief from the event.

Featuring: Paul Reville, MA Secretary of Education; Bridget Rodriguez, Director of Planning and Collaboration at the MA Executive Office of Education; Deb Larson, Teacher at Paul Revere Innovation School in Revere, MA; Daniel St. Louis, Teacher and Assistant Principal at University Park Campus Innovation School in Worcester, MA; and Justin Vernon, Principal at Roger Clapp Innovation School, Boston, MA.

This event, run in partnership with Teach for America Greater Boston and Boston University, featured a chance for teachers to learn about the Innovation Schools initiative, a unique opportunity for groups of education leaders and stakeholders – such as teachers – to develop their own proposal for an innovative school.  Audience members heard from Secretary Reville about the purpose of the initiative: providing teachers with a powerful opportunity to utilize their experience and expertise to design schools that equip students with 21^st Century skills.  Teachers were also able to interact with educators who have drafted successful Innovation Schools proposals and have seen their ideas working in their schools.  Panelists gave helpful advice about learning from other successful local schools when drafting their proposals and proactively communicating their ideas to all stakeholders to ensure buy-in. 

Interested in learning more about Innovation Schools?  Read about successful proposals, download the guidance documents or ask questions of Bridget by emailing bridget.rodriguez@state.ma.us.  There is an unprecedented amount of planning and implementation support available right now, making this the ideal time to pursue your creative ideas.

Featuring: Mitchell Chester, MA Commissioner of Education in addition to panelists from the State Task Force on Educator Evaluation; Karla Baehr, Deputy Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education; Pamela Hunter, Principal, Southwick-Tolland Regional High; Linda Noonan, Executive Director, Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education; Paul Toner, President, Massachusetts Teachers Association; Thomas Scott, Executive Director, MA Association of School Superintendents; Shakera Walker, Teacher, Boston Public Schools & Teach Plus Teaching Policy Fellow

This event, run in partnership with the Rennie Center for Education Research and Policy, featured a broad audience of education stakeholders, including teachers (who comprised about 1/3 of the audience), parents, students, policymakers, local school & district administrators, union & business leaders, and community stakeholders.  The event began with opening remarks from Commissioner Chester, who gave an overview of his proposed new regulations.  Next, audience members weighed in on a few key questions related to teacher evaluation.  Audience members generally agreed that clear, measureable standards of effectiveness are critical for teaching to be recognized as a true profession and that student learning growth ought to be factored into teachers’ evaluations.  Additionally, audience members responded favorably to the idea that educator self reflection and goal setting should be introduced to a revised evaluation system.  General consensus from audience members was that the current system is not doing even an adequate job at recognizing teachers’ professional accomplishments, supporting their professional growth, or informing tenure and personnel decisions.  Read a press release about the event or visit the Department of Education for a copy of the proposed regulations and to weigh in via an online comment form.

Read a press release about the event.

Featuring: Superintendent Dr. Carol Johnson

At this event, Dr. Johnson asked for feedback from teachers on how the Boston Public Schools can better support teachers. After hearing about Dr. Johnson’s priorities and ideas, teachers chose two topics to focus on: teacher and principal evaluation and professional development. On the topic of evaluation, Dr. Johnson was particularly interested in hearing from teachers on who they believed could give the most actionable feedback from on an evaluation. While no teachers voted for principal alone, 52% voted for a combination of evaluators and many audience members emphasized the importance of getting feedback from someone who has expertise in their specific subject area or grade. Teachers would like to see peer feedback, measures of student learning growth, and participation in school-wide improvement efforts included in teacher evaluations. On the topic of professional development, it is very important to teachers that PD is actionable in the classroom, aligned with their specific areas of need, and led by a strong instructor. Dr. Johnson heard candid feedback on district-wide PD and many teachers praised teacher-to-teacher PD.

After the event, Dr. Johnson’s wrote a letter to attendees in which she described her takeaways.

UPDATE: As a result of this Superintendent + Teacher Share, BPS heard what teachers had to say and changes:

• Cross Site Visits pilot initiative: An effort to encourage collaboration and learn from other teachers and schools by sharing best practices.
• PD Evaluation tool in MLP: this new evaluation tool will allow the district to collect data and help identify and expand successful professional development and improve what’s not working well.
• Professional Development Advisory Team: consisting of teachers, school leaders, and central office personnel, the team will help direct BPS’ professional development work.

Featuring:  Frederick M. Hess, Resident Scholar and Director of Education Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute

Mr. Hess recently wrote a book called “The Same Thing Over and Over: How school reformers get stuck in yesterday’s ideas.”  At this event, he shared his rationale for “thinking outside the box” in education reform and heard from teachers about how to re-imagine the teaching profession to better meet the needs of both students and teachers.  In a “choose-your-own-adventure” model, teachers chose two topics to delve into more deeply: defining teacher effectiveness and modernizing the teaching profession.  Teachers in the audience collaborated in small groups to discuss those two topics as Mr. Hess visited small groups to listen in on teachers’ discussions.   During the whole group conversation, eighty-five percent of teachers in the audience agreed that some teachers in their school contribute more to student learning and school improvement than others and that these teachers ought to be rewarded.   Also on the topic of evaluation, a full 44% of the audience characterized their most recent evaluation as “not at all useful” in helping to improve their teaching.  When asked to rate elements that would strengthen evaluations, teachers rated “measures of student learning growth” at the top, with “participation in school-wide improvement” close behind. 

 Upon his return to Washington, DC, Mr. Hess blogged about his experience at the Boston T+ Network event.  Read the post.

Featuring: Paul Toner, President of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, and Richard Stutman, President of the Boston Teachers Union

This event topic came directly from some of the teachers we work with.  They expressed feeling unsure of both whether and how to get more involved in the unions that represent them.  Teachers learned about the upcoming priorities of both the MTA and the BTU from Mr. Toner and Mr. Stutman.  Of the teachers in the audience, 59%  agreed that their union protects their rights, while only 13% agreed that their union clearly aligns with and represents their point of view.  Teachers voted on which issues matter most to them and heard Mr. Toner and Mr. Stutman’s responses on how their unions are responding to those issues.  Teachers also heard about how they can get involved and take on more leadership within their unions.  Read the full event description and see data from this event here.

Featuring: Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Massachusetts Secretary of Education Paul Reville

At this event, teachers heard briefly from Governor Patrick about his education platform and his personal commitment to providing a high-quality education for all children in Massachusetts.  Teachers also heard from Secretary Reville on Innovation Schools, which can be led by teams of teachers, and the state’s plan to engage more teachers in decision-making processes.  In a post-event survey, it became clear that teachers are seeking more avenues to get involved in policy decisions at the state level.  In fact, many of respondents expressed feeling uninformed or only somewhat informed about state-level education initiatives.  Teacher evaluation reform, which came up at the event in questions from teachers, is an example of an area where teachers want to have input.  64% of survey respondents said that more frequent classroom observations that yield specific and actionable feedback would help them to become a better teacher.  A summary of all survey data was shared with both Governor Patrick and Secretary Reville.

Featuring: Superintendent of Boston Public Schools Dr. Carol Johnson, Senior Policy Analyst at Education Sector Elena Silva, and Director of Community Outreach for the U.S. Department of Education Alberto Retana

This event took place in the midst of statewide and local decision-making around newly named “turnaround schools.”  Teachers were briefed on the national context of school turnaround, including the history and rationale behind the various models.  83% of teachers said that given the right conditions, any school, despite its history and student population, can be “turned around” so that students demonstrate academic growth.  Boston Superintendent Carol Johnson had a chance to hear from teachers about what they would weigh most heavily in their decision to teach in a turnaround school: a great principal (54%) and great colleagues (30%).  Teachers also learned about the Benwood Plan, a successful turnaround model that focused on supporting teachers. 

Featuring: Educational researcher and author Karin Chenoweth & Superintendent of Riverside (NY) School District Diane Scricca

Teachers heard about nationwide examples of high-poverty, high-minority schools that are “beating the odds” – schools with dramatic gains and/or high achievement as measured by student performance data.  84% of teachers agreed that if the nation’s public schools demand higher expectations, all students can rise to the challenge.  Teachers learned about the components these schools have in common and had the opportunity to reflect on to what degree their school and classroom share those components.  Teachers also shared ideas and models of “what’s working” at their own schools.  

Featuring:  Massachusetts Secretary of Education Paul Reville, Deputy Commissioner Karla Baehr, and Associate Commissioner for Educator Quality David Haselkorn

Teachers were briefed on the Federal Race to the Top initiative (90% of whom said they had little to no familiarity with the initiative prior to the event).   The guest speakers from the MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education gave teachers more in-depth information on the Massachusetts proposal, which was then in draft form.   After hearing the state’s proposal for innovations on measuring and rewarding effectiveness, teachers weighed in: 86% said that growth in student learning should be part of a teacher’s evaluation and 83% said it is important to include more rigorous, annual evaluations for both teachers and school leaders.  

Featuring: Brad Jupp, Teacher Quality Expert, U.S. Department of Education

Teachers learned about the U.S. Department of Education’s efforts to retain effective teachers and engaged in conversation about the teaching profession and the challenge of retaining effective teachers in urban schools.  Teachers in the audience said that the best things about being a teacher are doing impactful work (48%) and helping students succeed (36%).  The vast majority (92%) of teachers in the audience said that it is important for teachers to be recognized outside their classroom for success with their students. 

Featuring: Michelle Rhee, Founder & CEO of Students First

Teachers from CPS district and charter schools attended this T+ Network event held on December 8^th, 2010. The majority of teachers in the room (70%) have between 3 and 10 years of teaching experience. Teachers shared with Ms. Rhee their opinions and ideas on some of the most pressing issues facing CPS and schools around the country.  Teachers also weighed in on some of Ms. Rhee’s questions and proposals using live polling technology.  When teachers were asked which idea holds the most promise for keeping effective teachers in the schools that need them the most,  38% said effective administrators, while 36% indicated that supportive working conditions would keep them .  Teachers in attendance said they wanted to be supported in their development and rewarded for their success with students. Seventy-one percent of teachers agreed that they would like to be offered merit-based pay (37% strongly agreed).  Nearly three-fourths of the T+ Network teachers (72%) agreed that the school day should be extended to allow for additional instructional time. Finally, the majority (77%) do not see removing tenure protections as discouraging to keeping great teachers in the classroom.

Featuring: Dr. Christopher Koch, Illinois State Superintendent, and Ms. Audrey Soglin, Executive Director of the Illinois Education Association

Dr. Koch and Ms. Soglin shared their visions for teacher evaluation in Illinois. The state’s plans include a Performance Evaluation Advisory Committee (PEAC) that is working toward creating rules for teacher evaluation that all districts in the state will use as they create new evaluation systems. The majority of teachers in the audience agreed with these policymakers that change is necessary, since 56% of the teachers felt that their last evaluation was not at all helpful in supporting their instruction.

Teachers in the audience sent a clear message to policy makers about WHO they would want to observe their instructional practice; the vast majority of teachers in the audience (92%) were comfortable with a fellow teacher conducting their observations. Teachers would also like to be observed frequently throughout the school year with 89% desiring three or more annual observations. Many teachers seemed very interested in how the state and district plan to evaluate those who teach non-tested subjects and grades; Dr. Koch and Ms. Soglin agreed that one of the challenges the PEAC must tackle is how to fairly and accurately assess teachers who have traditionally not had standards written for the subject areas and grades that they teach. Teach Plus National Director of Programs, Dr. Heather Peske, explained this is a national problem and one about which teachers at T+ Network events in each site are expressing concern. Teachers in these non-tested grades and subjects who voiced opinions at the event said they do want to be able to measure their performance based on data as long as the standards are applied fairly and consistently across all subjects and grade levels.  See data from this event.

Featuring: Dr. Tim Knowles, Director of the Urban Education Institute at the University of Chicago.

Dr. Knowles facilitated a conversation with teachers and other state and local policy makers, "Supporting Great Teaching: Forging a New Path Forward." Knowles used research data from UEI to spark a robust dialogue about changing teacher preparation programs and teacher evaluation, and new leadership roles teachers may attain without leaving the classroom.   During the conversation, teachers voiced a need to improve working conditions in their respective buildings.  They noted that to do this, they need to feel their voices are heard and they want more time to plan for instruction and to work with colleagues.  

Featuring: Tim Daly, President of The New Teacher Project

Tim Daly met with a group of about 100 teachers from across Chicago to discuss the policy changes that are bringing teaching into the 21^st century. Daly presented findings from The New Teacher Project’s recent research, The Widget Effect (read the report here), which outlines the negative consequences of treating teachers as interchangeable parts rather than professionals. Using live polling technology, all teachers had the opportunity to weigh in on timely issues such as teacher evaluation and effective ways to measure growth in student learning. When teachers were asked if they believe that clear, measurable standards of effectiveness are critical for teaching to be recognized as a true profession, a majority of audience members agreed (65% strongly agreed; 23% somewhat agreed). When teachers were asked to what extent they agree that growth in student learning (as measured by student achievement) should be included as part of a teacher’s evaluation, again a majority of audience members agreed (30% strongly agreed; 51% somewhat agreed).

Featuring the Peer Assistance and Review (PAR) Expert Panel: Jeffrey Chipman, Teacher at Bellevue MS and PAR Panel Member, Dr. Sherrish Holloman, Department of Teacher Talent and Effectiveness, Dr. Julia Koppich, National PAR Consultant, and Keith Williams, MEA President and PAR Panel Co-Chair

This event featured a chance for teachers to learn about the new Memphis program, Peer Assistance and Review, by asking questions and engaging in discussion with the PAR Expert Panel. Attendees heard from the Expert Panel regarding how PAR will be used in Memphis to support teachers in their individual professional development (Read the transcript of Expert Panel answers to PAR questions). While the Memphis PAR program is still in Phase 1 Implementation, ongoing teacher feedback is critical to ensure PAR supports teachers most effectively. Attendees shared their thoughts on which teachers should be prioritized to participate in PAR as well as options to successfully communicate information on PAR to MCS. For an in-depth recap of the event, read the event summary memo.

Interested to learn more about PAR in Memphis and its implementation across the country?

• Access the Memphis Teach Plus Teaching Policy Fellows’ PAR Recommendation Memo -- Peer Assistance and Review (PAR): Implementation Teachers Will Support
• Read national PAR consultant Dr. Julia Koppich’s Executive Summary of "Peer Review: Getting Serious About Teacher Support and Evaluation." Read the full report here. 

At this T+ Network event teachers gave feedback on the implementation of the Teacher Effectiveness Measure (TEM) in its pilot year. Tequilla Banks, Department of Teacher Talent & Effectiveness, presented data from a recent teacher survey conducted by the Teacher Effectiveness Initiative (TEI) showing teachers’ reactions to the implementation of the TEM. Around 100 teachers engaged in small group discussion and answered live-polling questions to give suggestions to TEI on how to improve implementation of the TEM. Discussion focused on differentiated professional development opportunities for teachers, the length and number of observations conducted per year, using PLCs effectively, and whether or not to follow the state of Tennessee’s lead on observation policy changes. 

The recent adjustment of the state TEAM observation model allows observers to complete two separate observations within one classroom visit, so an observer could hold one pre-conference and one post-conference for two observations. This change is primarily to relieve some of the burden off of administrators as they complete a large volume of observations. 57% of teachers in attendance either strongly agreed or agreed MCS should allow observers to complete two observations in one classroom visit. 92% teachers also suggested that teachers should be able to collaborate with observers to determine the final observation score. 

Teachers advocated for a wider array of professional development opportunities that align with the TEM, such as observation videos of teachers for each indicator at different levels on the rubric, cross-referenced by grade and content area. Teachers are also eager to see real-time coaching from their instructional coaches in order to see how to successfully complete TEM indicators with the students they work with daily. 

T+ Teaching Policy Fellows served as small group discussion facilitators for this event. Their notes and quantitative data from the live-polling questions were used to inform a policy memo to Tequilla Banks and the TEI Executive Committee to include teacher voice in future TEM implementation. 

Contact Sarah Shepson at sshepson@teachplus.org to help plan the next T+ Network Event!

This event featured the screening of American Teacher, a documentary that highlights the need for compensation reform in order to attract and retain great teachers. Mike Neal, TEI Compensation Coordinator, joined teachers to discuss future compensation solutions for Memphis City Schools. Teachers responded to a few questions using interactive polling technology and elaborated on the results in an open forum. Compensation plays a major role in a teacher’s decision to continue teaching: 48% said it was a significant factor, 36% said it was somewhat a factor. When asked to rate factors that should determine compensation on a scale from 1 to 5 (1 being least important and 5 being most important), teachers chose “Improving Student Achievement” and “Years of experience” as the most important factors. 70% of teachers either strongly or somewhat support increasing base salaries with the opportunity to earn professional level salaries after four years of teaching. Mike Neal, TEI Compensation Coordinator, encouraged teachers to partner with TEI to continue the discussion for compensation solutions through a Compensation Working Group or a Career Pathways Group. Contact Sarah Shepson at sshepson@teachplus.org for how to get involved!

Teachers are encouraged to continue the discussion by hosting their own community screening and weighing in at the Teach Plus Online Forum where the American Teacher producer, Ninive Calegari, has posed a question specifically to T+ Network teachers across the country.

Over 150 teachers turned out for the T+ Network Event, “Conversation with the Commissioner” in which teachers shared their opinions on the state of education reform in Tennessee. Commissioner Kevin Huffman engaged in Q&A with teachers to cover a wide variety of topics such as teacher compensation, data driven instruction, and teacher evaluation. MCS teachers overwhelmingly stated that discussing policy with Commissioner of Huffman and with one another other is a useful and necessary step to create change and make progress for students. 88% found the discussion somewhat to very useful, and 99% said they were likely to attend another T+ event. 

Teachers answered live-polling questions focusing on current education reform topics. If expected to annually produce one academic year’s worth of growth for students in their class, MCS teachers felt students should be in their class at least 75% of the school year. Teachers’ responses to understanding TVAAS suggest there is more work to be done to make sure teachers feel comfortable with the data. In terms of compensation, teachers mostly agree that increasing student achievement and working in the most academically challenging schools are important factors in determining compensation. 33% of teachers agreed that addressing the need for effective teachers and enhanced professional development opportunities for teachers is a positive course of action. 

The data gathered from this T+ Network Event has been shared with Commissioner Huffman in an effort to include Memphis teachers’ perspective in education policy. Please see our current event opportunities to stay engaged in local education reform conversations and advocate for what is best for teachers in MCS and our students.

Featuring: An interactive discussion among results–oriented MCS teachers, Dr. Kriner Cash, Superintendent of Memphis City Schools, Tequilla Banks, Executive Director of Teacher Talent and Effectiveness, and Colleen Oliver, Senior Education Program Officer of the Gates Foundation

At this event, teachers shared their ideas for informing the work of the Teacher Effectiveness Initiative’s four strategies: defining teacher effectiveness, strategically hiring teachers, properly compensating teachers, and providing safe working conditions. All eyes are on Memphis as the national reform community is being informed by MCS’ outcomes from the Teacher Effectiveness Initiative. 

Teachers in attendance participated in interactive discussion with the speakers, giving input and feedback on areas of the new TN teacher evaluation, TVAAS training, and new policies resulting from the TEI work.  96% of teachers in the audience responded that they strongly agree or somewhat agree that clear, measureable standards of effectiveness are critical for teaching to be recognized as a true profession. Additionally, 83% of teachers expressed a belief that, given the right conditions, any school (despite its history and student population) can be turned around so students demonstrate academic growth.  Conversation ensued about what the “right conditions” actually are.  Responses included: strong principal leadership, teams of like minded teachers, and supportive working environment with available resources. 

The data gathered (both qualitative and quantitative) from the Network Event has been shared with local policymakers in an effort to include teacher voice in the continued work of the Teacher Effectiveness Initiative.

Featuring: Tomeka Hart, TEAC member & MCS Board Commissioner; Carla Franklin, TEI Coordinator of Evaluations and Tenure; Celine Coggins, Teach Plus CEO/Founder

Teachers learned about the policy recommendations to the TN State Board of Education that will affect the new evaluation system for teachers. Additionally, teachers gained local context about the three observation rubrics being piloted throughout the district in an effort to inform the new evaluation system. Teachers in the audience said that the current evaluation system does not support or improve their teaching practice (71%). The vast majority (85%) of teachers in the audience were positive about increased observation and feedback helping them become better teachers.  See data from this event.

Featuring: Noah Bookman, policy analyst with LAUSD; Dr. Rob Meyer, value-added expert from the Value-Added Resource Center at the University of Wisconsin; and Chris Bertelli, Executive Director at The College-Ready Promise

The use of student growth data is gaining traction in Los Angeles in both district and charter schools. This T+ Network event aimed to inform teachers about the metrics involved in Academic Growth over Time (AGT) and Student Growth Percentiles (SGP) data currently being implemented in thousands of schools across the city, as well as to give teachers the opportunity to share their opinions on the use of student data. In order to successfully accomplish these objectives, Teach Plus hosted a dynamic panel of experts: Noah Bookman, a policy analyst with LAUSD, Dr. Rob Meyer, a value-added expert from the Value-Added Resource Center at the University of Wisconsin, and Chris Bertelli, the Executive Director at The College-Ready Promise.

After the panelists provided a background to the work they were doing, 40 teachers weighed in by responding to questions using interactive polling technology and providing their own feedback in an open forum. When asked what percentage of a teacher’s evaluation should be comprised of student growth measures, an overwhelming 89% of teachers believed that student growth should play a role in evaluation. The larger debate came when asked what percentage of a teacher’s evaluation should be comprised of this data- with 41% of teachers saying it should comprise between 16-30%, while 11% of teachers said it should account for 0%. Follow up comments revealed that teachers believe student growth measures have a place, but were concerned about lack of alignment of the assessments to the curriculum.

Teachers were also given a chance to identify their greatest concern and their best hope for the implementation of student growth measures. 44% of teachers feared that this data could lead to an overemphasis on test-taking. Attendees also noted concerns that not all variables are taken into account to acknowledge that each child is unique. However, 43% of teachers were optimistic that the use of student growth measures would lead to helping teachers identify strengths and weaknesses in their pedagogy, and another 39% feel that it will help their school create meaningful professional development. Lastly, teachers were asked how they wanted to be engaged in the development of student growth measures in their district or school. Half of the attendees selected standing Teacher Advisory Panels to give ongoing feedback and 37% selected ad hoc Focus Groups to give feedback.

This event featured a free screening of American Teacher, a documentary that highlights the need for compensation reform in order to attract and retain great teachers. Following the viewing, John Lee, moderated a discussion with over 100 participants about their reactions to the film and ways in which teacher compensation could be re-envisioned. Teachers responded to a few questions using interactive polling technology and elaborated on the results in an open forum. While 10% of teachers polled said that compensation did not factor at all in their decision to stay in teaching, 73% of the audience said that it significantly or somewhat did. When asked what compensation should be based on, teachers rated improving student achievement based in part on standardized tests and successful evaluations at the top of their list, followed closely by taking on leadership positions at the school or district level. Although teachers still value years of experience in determining compensation it ranked last among the factors listed. Lastly, when asked to consider a proposal on compensation reform from LAUSD Superintendent, John Deasy, 69% of teachers said that they would strongly or somewhat support seeing changes such as giving teachers significant raises early in their careers, increasing compensation for employees who take on challenging assignments, and getting rid of the traditional salary scale that awards raises simply for additional degrees earned, years of service and salary-point credits.

Teachers are encouraged to continue the discussion by hosting their own community screening and weighing in at an online forum where the film’s producer, Ninive Calegari, has posed a question specifically to T+ Network teachers across the country.

Featuring: Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy

Superintendent Deasy engaged teachers in a conversation about where the district is heading regarding issues such as district responsibility, observation feedback, and teacher effectiveness. A majority of teachers (85%) agreed that the district is NOT doing enough to identify, recognize and retain effective teachers. Follow-up comments revealed that it is not just the responsibility of the district, but also a responsibility of principals and colleagues to provide the support necessary to achieve these goals. As the district rolls out its pilot evaluation program this year, it was not surprising that a good portion of the conversation concerned who is best equipped to provide feedback to teachers. When asked this question, a strong majority of teachers answered that peer teachers could offer the best feedback during an observation, more so than a district official or principal. Conversation then revealed that this is based on a relationship of trust; Dr. Deasy was very interested in a suggestion to have teachers, principals and district officials train with one another to build stronger relationships as the evaluation program rolls out. On the topic of teacher effectiveness, 61% of teachers believed that either problem-solving sessions with colleagues or teacher-designed professional development are two of the most promising strategies for improving teacher effectiveness. In addition to these teacher-focused strategies, other innovative ideas, such as video coaching seemed to intrigue teachers as a cost-effective and efficient option.

Lastly, he also tweeted this regarding the Teaching & Learning Framework-- @DrDeasyLAUSD: As promised 2 the audience, here are the resources you should have to understand the work of Supporting All Employees http://bit.ly/pC0p6I

Featuring:  Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor of Los Angeles

At this event, Mayor Villaraigosa engaged teachers in a conversation about critical education issues in Los Angeles, including teacher effectiveness, layoffs, and teacher compensation.

A majority of teachers (72%) agreed that growth in student learning should be included as part of a teacher’s evaluation. Follow up comments revealed that some teachers wanted multiple measures of student growth, including portfolios.

Given the 7,000 layoff notices that went out to LAUSD teachers this week, the conversation on quality-blind layoffs was particularly timely. Mayor Villaraigosa agreed with the majority (63%) of teachers who stated that seniority and quality indicators, such as teacher performance and professional behavior, should be taken into consideration when a district faces Reduction in Force decisions. Only 2% stated that only seniority should be considered and 25% of teachers believed that only quality indicators should be considered.

On the topic of teacher compensation, 88% of teachers agreed that the current salary structure needs to be revamped in order to keep great teachers in the profession. Additionally, 85% felt that some teachers at their schools contributed more to student learning and school improvement than others, and should be rewarded accordingly.

Featuring:  Dr. John Deasy, LAUSD Superintendent Designate, Ms. Yolie Flores, LAUSD Board Member

The Los Angeles T+ Network kicked off with an inaugural event on January 24, 2011 during which teachers provided input and feedback to LAUSD Superintendent Designate, John Deasy, and LAUSD Board Member, Yolie Flores.  Dr. Deasy and Ms. Flores engaged thoughtful and solutions-oriented Los Angeles teachers in a discussion on teacher effectiveness and evaluation.

Nearly all teachers (91%) agreed that clear, measurable standards of effectiveness are critical for teaching to be recognized as a true profession.  After discussing different ways to gauge teacher performance (including student academic growth over the course of an academic year, student engagement, teacher/peer observation, and principal observation), 96% of teachers strongly agreed that effective evaluation must be based on multiple measures.  

Only 8% of teachers said that their most recent evaluation was very helpful in improving their teaching and 46% said it was not useful at all.  Follow up comments revealed that some teachers are observed on a daily basis and receive valuable feedback on a weekly basis.  In contrast, one quarter of teachers said that they had not received an evaluation within the past calendar year.  Additionally, a majority (68%) of teachers stated that their most recent evaluation was not rigorous at all.  

While value-added analysis is gaining traction as a tool for measuring effectiveness, only 18% of teachers stated that they have a clear understanding of value-added analysis.  When teachers asked Dr. Deasy about the LA Times’ methodology, Dr. Deasy responded by saying that there was not a problem with the math, but he would want to take into account different factors.