FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 10/22/14
Contact: LDOE Public Affairs, (225) 342-3600, Fax: (225) 342-0193

ANNUAL REPORT SHOWS DISTRICTS AND SCHOOLS MAKING ACADEMIC PROGRESS HAVE HIGHER EXPECTATIONS FOR CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS

BATON ROUGE, La. - The Louisiana Department of Education today released a report on school districts' second year implementing a statewide educator improvement and evaluation process, with results showing that schools and school systems making significant strides with students were more likely to have a high bar for excellence when observing teachers in the classroom. Additional results include a finding that school systems with high expectations for classroom teaching tend to have similar expectations for school leadership, but that expectations for school leadership statewide are spotty and not applied as consistently as are expectations in the classroom.

"Not surprisingly, schools and school systems that set a high bar when observing teachers and principals see progress in their educators and progress in their kids," said State Superintendent John White. "This year's report highlights schools and districts where high expectations are really working. It also shows areas in which expectations are lax, and that has to change if we are going to meet the new expectations our state has for student learning."

The report, released on the heels of report cards showing student performance in schools and school districts, indicates that evaluation ratings for educators inflated since the 2012-2013 school year at a rate faster than did student gains in the same time period. In the 2012-2013 school year, 32 percent of teachers and 27 percent of leaders were rated "highly effective" compared to 43 and 34 percent respectively this year. While there are likely a variety of reasons for the inflation of ratings outpacing student achievement gains, two seem most plausible.

• In 2013-2014, the Department did not require the use of value-added data in the evaluation rating. Rather, the Department produced transitional student growth data for teachers of value-added subjects, and evaluators had the discretion to use that data as part of the teacher's evaluation. Many districts and schools chose to use that data for instructional planning purposes only and relied on more subjective student learning targets for purposes of evaluation.
•  Also, student learning target ratings themselves saw outsized inflation statewide. In 2013-2014, 62 percent of teacher student learning targets were rated "highly effective" compared to 58 percent in 2012-2013.

At the same time, the report also demonstrates that school districts achieving high levels of academic growth in the 2013-2014 school year very often used classroom observations to establish a particularly high bar for teaching quality. This was particularly evident in districts making gains with low-income students, signifying a link between the rigor of classroom observations and student progress in challenging settings. Additionally, there is a clear connection between schools and districts making significant gains in student achievement and the practice of setting a high bar for teachers in classroom observations.

• Of the top 10 districts increasing the percentage of students achieving Basic and above, 8 rated fewer classroom observations "highly effective" than the state average of 38 percent.
• Of the top 10 districts increasing the percentage of students achieving Mastery and above, 6 rated fewer classroom observations "highly effective" than the state average of 38 percent.
• Of the top 100 schools increasing the percentage of students achieving Basic and above, 72 rated fewer classroom observations "highly effective" than the state average of 38 percent.
• Of the top 100 schools increasing the percentage of students achieving Mastery and above, 56 rated fewer classroom observations "highly effective" than the state average of 38 percent.

For a list of schools among the top in the state in terms of student growth that also hold high expectations for teaching, please click here.

Across districts statewide, expectations for leaders are not as consistent as are expectations for teachers. The 2013-2014 results suggest districts can do more to establish consistently high expectations for school leadership. In 2013-2014:

• 28 districts rated 100 percent of their administrators "proficient" or higher on site visits. Of those 28, 14 districts were below the state average in terms of the percentage of students who achieved Basic and above compared to last year.
• 63 districts assigned no "ineffective" ratings to any administrators.
• Administrators were assigned "ineffective" overall evaluation ratings at less than half the rate of teachers.

For a list of districts ranked among the top in the state in terms of student growth that also hold high expectations for leaders, please click here.

The Compass tool will continue to evolve so as to provide teachers and administrators a guiding process for professional improvement. To address current challenges, the Department will take the following steps:

• Work with a special sub-committee of the Accountability Commission convened by Representative Frank Hoffmann (R-Monroe) to make recommendations to BESE for the use of value-added data after the conclusion of the "time to learn" transition period.
• Make recommendations regarding principal accountability for student learning and principal capacity to assist teachers in professional learning.
• Review tests administered by districts for their alignment with end-of-year state tests, so that teachers know whether their student learning target goals are aligned with state standards and tests.
• Expand Believe and Prepare pilots to prepare classroom educators through a year-long apprenticeship.

To read the 2013-2014 Compass Annual Report, please click here.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

2013-2014 Compass Teacher Results by Parish 

2013-2014 Compass Teacher Results by School 

2013-2014 Compass Leader Results by Parish 

2013-2014 Compass Counselor Results by Parish