Student Learning targets

1
Student Learning targets

• Information for school leaders and teachers
  regarding the process of creating
• Student Learning Targets.

2
What is a Student Learning Target (SLT)?

• A student learning target (SLT) is a measurable
  goal for student achievement over a given period
  of time.
• SLTs should be driven by baseline data on where
  students are performing.
• SLTs should be aligned with the appropriate
  standards for the course.
• SLTs should be measurable by a pre-determined
  assessment.

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Four Components of a Quality SLT

• RATIONALE FOR SLT
• What are the critical learning objectives, the
  content standards aligned to those objectives,
  and the assessment plan to be used in measuring
  student growth.
• STUDENT LEARNING TARGET
• Clear statement of the statistical projection of
  student growth in meeting a pre-established goal.
• BASELINE DATA
• Information about the target audience gathered
  by the teacher to establish the
  performance/skills/achievement levels at the
  beginning of the year as relates to the critical
  learning objectives.
• SCORING PLAN AND ACHIEVEMENT RANGE
• Clear statement of the ranges of achievement
  that demonstrate the teachers impact on students
  meeting a pre-established goal.

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What else should I know about SLTs?

• An SLT does not have to be a compilation of
  everything you teach
  in your class.
• An SLT does not have to include every student
  that you teach. It is recommended that teachers
  cover a majority of the students they teach
  between the two SLTs. For example, if you dont
  have baseline data on a student they should not
  be included in your target audience.
• An SLT can focus on one or more critical learning
  objectives within the full range of what students
  are expected to learn.
• There must be a valid rubric that determines
  proficiency of the student.
• There should also be a gathering of evidence of
  student progress over time (body of evidence)
  between the initial assessment and final
  assessment or aggregation of final results.

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Who Writes an SLT?

• LDOE requires all teachers, counselors and
  librarians to write two student learning targets
  each year.
• The student growth component of the evaluation
  for Non-VAM teachers (70 of all teachers) will
  be based on Student Learning Targets (SLTs).
• The student growth component for the evaluation
  for VAM teachers (30 of all teachers) comes from
  VAM.
• Teachers using the VAM model are required to
  write SLTs as LDOE sees SLT writing as a best
  practice and a back up student growth component.
• TPSS is asking that all certified staff members
  write at least 2 SLTs. See chart for Determining
  Student Growth Measure and TPSS Bulletin .001

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Selecting Assessments

• Things to keep in mind when selecting an
  assessment
• When possible and appropriate use assessments you
  are already administering at your school.
• When possible and appropriate use assessments
  that will also be used to evaluate the students
  and school (state assessments iLEAP, LEAP, EOC,
  ACT). Also remember that state assessments will
  be use for a teachers VAM score for most tested
  grades and subject.
• When possible and appropriate at least one goal
  for state assessments should be based on Basic
  or higher for iLEAP and LEAP and Good or
  higher on EOC.
• Use assessments found on the District or State
  list when appropriate and/or available.
• The list of state and district assessments are
  not exhaustive. Other assessments may be
  appropriate depending on the unique circumstances
  of each school and teacher assignment.
• The principal has the final authority to approve
  assessments. This approval should be based on
  the quality of evidence and alignment with school
  goals.

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Baseline Data and Progressing Monitoring

• Baseline Data used to set the target can be from
  one or more of the following sources
• Teacher created EAGLE or other pre-tests
• Previous performance on state assessments
• Computer-based Diagnostic Tests Performance
  Series, Scholastic Reading Inventory, Scholastic
  Math Inventory, etc.
• Test preparation programs (Study Island, Skills
  Tutor, Coach, etc.)
• Progress monitoring is encouraged during the
  year. This can be done using most of the same
  assessments listed above.

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Who is the Target Audience of the SLT?

• Teachers may set targets focused on an entire
  class/a specific subject/a cohort or their lowest
  performing students.
• The target audience is not necessarily every
  student taught by the teacher, but it is
  recommended that it cover a majority of the
  students taught by the teacher.
• The teacher and evaluator may collaboratively
  select a grade level or subject as the target
  audience so long as the grade level or subject is
  representative of a cross-section of all student
  taught by the teacher.

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How is the SLT rated ?

• Approving the SLT (Beginning of the Year)
• Evaluators must agree that the SLT is acceptable
  based on the following criteria
• Priority of SLT Content.
• Rigor of Target
• Quality of Evidence
• Rating the SLT (End of Year)
• Evaluators assign teachers a final rating based
  on students progress towards target, using the
  agreed upon definitions of effectiveness from the
  beginning of the year
• Insufficient Attainment of Target (1)
• Partial Attainment of Target (2)
• Full Attainment of Target (3)
• Exceptional Attainment of Target (4)

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Formula for Achievement RangesSample Based on 60
Students and70 Achieving Target Goals

• Insufficient Attainment is any result below
  Partial Attainment. (1 point)
• 32 or fewer students out of the 60 students in
  the target audience
• Partial Attainment is a range from 10-15 below
  the target to just below the actual SLT. (2
  points)
• 33-41 students out of the 60 students in the
  target audience
• START HERE Full Attainment is a range from the
  actual SLT up to 10-15 above the target. (3
  points)
• 70 of 60 students - 42-51 students out of the
  60 students in the target audience.
• Exceptional Attainment is any result above the
  Full Attainment range. This range should
  represent more than a years worth of growth. (4
  points)
• 52 or more students out of the 60 students in the
  target audience.

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Guidance on Target Audience and Percentage for
Achievement Range

• Teachers and evaluators have the flexibility to
  determine which types of targets are the most
  meaningful measures of teachers work in a given
  year. It is recommended that teachers try to
  address the majority of their students across
  their two or more SLTs. If they teach multiple
  subjects, teachers should prioritize the academic
  content areas that are most aligned to the Common
  Core as they finalize their SLTs.
• The target audience should represent no less
  than 35 of the students taught by the teacher.
  
• The teacher should project no less than 70 of
  the target audience as achieving the goals
  outlined in the SLT.
• The teacher and evaluator may cooperatively
  establish higher or lower percentages for the
  target audience and/or percentage achieving
  the SLT goal based on baseline data, assessment
  used, unique circumstances of the teachers
  assignment, or student population.

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Achievement Range Calculator

• Their is an excel calculator to assist teachers
  and evaluators in establishing (and confirming)
  achievement ranges for SLTs.
• Enter into the left hand column the number in the
  target audience.
• Enter into the next column the percentage
  projected to be proficient (minimum of 70). You
  can change the percentage to reflect the agreed
  upon goal.
• The calculator will the give you the achievement
  ranges for your SLT based on 15 above the target
  and 15 below the target. It was also show the
  corresponding ranges.
• The range above and below the target can be
  between 10 and 15 according the state, but
  flexibility is given to the teacher and evaluator
  to use different ranges. This calculator just
  computes based on 15.

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Range Examples

• Teacher A
• Last year 80 of her 8th grade students scored
  Basic or above on the LEAP.
• The students that she has now scored 69 Basic or
  above on the iLEAP.
• A reasonable but challenging goal for this
  teacher would be that 75 of her students score
  Basic or above
• Insufficient Attainment 0 - 59
• Partial Attainment 60 - 74
• START HERE Full Attainment 75 - 90
• Exceptional Attainment 90 - 100

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Range Example

• Teacher B
• 28 of her students last year scored Basic and
  above on the 8th grade LEAP ELA test.
• 40 of the students that she has now scored Basic
  and above on the 7th grade iLEAP ELA test.
• Students at a school with similar demographics
  scored 47.
• The district average is 61 on the 8th grade LEAP
  ELA.
• A reasonable but challenging goal for this
  teacher would be that 50 of her students score
  Basic and above on the 8th grade LEAP.
• Insufficient Attainment 0 - 34
• Partial Attainment 35 - 49
• START HERE Full Attainment 50 - 75
• Exceptional Attainment 75 - 100

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Writing Process

• Collaborate with other teachers at your school
  (or district) teaching the same grade and
  subject.
• Look at samples written by peers.
• Do a draft on the template provided.
• Dont rush. It make take several attempts to
  feel good about what you have written.
• Have a peer or supervisor review for support when
  you feel good about what you have written.
  (District and School Level Support System.)
• Consult with your evaluator to insure you are on
  the same page. This should done at the beginning
  of the process as well as near the end of the
  process.
• Repeat the process for writing a 2nd SLT.
• Refine and polish your final product.

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Acknowledgments

• Adapted from an PowerPoint from Pat Deaville from
  Calcasieu Parish