OTES FALL - PART 1 OF 3 DR. RACHAEL FLEISCHAKER

from TRIAD - FALL 2022

STARTING STUDENTS WITH NATURAL BREATHING LAUREN RUDZINSKAS, DMA

OTES Fall Part 1 of 3

Dr. Rachael Fleischaker

Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year! Whether you are a first-year teacher or have 40+ years of experience, you will understand when I say that the last several years have been tumultuous. We have been on a journey with challenges, obstacles, and opportunities that we never imagined. Congratulations, you made it to this point. Our new normal is beginning and as you may have figured out by now, the only constant is change.

Changes can be scary or exciting. The newly revised and fully implemented OTES Framework has some exciting opportunities for music educators. Hopefully the mention of OTES will not be scary. The required components of the revised OTES framework include a professional growth plan (PGP), observations and walkthroughs by a certified OTES 2.0 evaluator, presenting evidence of student growth through high quality student data (HQSD), and conferences with the evaluator to discuss growth on the PGP as well as a final summative rating. For a detailed description of the entire OTES 2.0 Framework, please refer to OTES 2.0 Is Here! What Now? (Fleischaker, 2021) in the Fall 2021 Issue of the TRIAD. That article describes each component in detail.

This article is the first of a three-part series that will review components of the evaluation framework and envision ways that music educators can incorporate them into everyday rehearsals and classroom activities. This first installment of the series will unpack Professional Growth Plans (PGPs) and their relationship with High Quality Student Data (HQSD). The next will dive deeper into HQSD and include examples from general music, choral, and instrumental settings. The final article explores various types of evidence and ways to present it to your evaluator so that you can get the most from your evaluation cycle.

IT CANNOT BE STRESSED ENOUGH THAT YOUR OTES PATH IS DETERMINED BY YOUR LOCAL BOARD OF EDUCATION.

The state of Ohio provides the framework, but each school district determines how to implement the various components (ODE, 2020). This is often referred to as locally controlled decisions. Statewide, the overall teacher ratings are reduced to four categories, Accomplished, Skilled, Developing, or Ineffective. The frequency of observations, walkthroughs, and conferences with the evaluator is based on the last rating received. Check with your principal, building administrator, or union representative to verify your school district’s policy.

The professional growth plan (PGP) and improvement plan are key components of the OTES 2.0 framework. Teachers who are rated Accomplished, Skilled, or Developing must create a PGP that include one or two professional goals. These goals must align with school district/building goals. Accomplished teachers determine their own goals. Skilled teachers decide jointly with an evaluator what their goals will be. Developing teachers write goals with guidance from their evaluator. Teachers who are rated Ineffective are placed on an improvement plan that is at the discretion of the evaluator. During the course of the school year, teachers are encouraged to

review and reflect on their goals and to collect evidence for how they are making progress towards achieving them.

As you begin this school year, having a plan for yourself and your evaluator is the most beneficial way to navigate your evaluation process. Whether you set your own goals or work with an administrator to develop your goals, this is an opportunity to reflect on your teaching in six specific areas: student learning; knowledge of students; lesson delivery; classroom environment; assessment of student learning; and professional responsibilities. If you are unsure about what area to choose, log into your OhioES account which can be found through the Ohio Department of Education website or by using https://www.ohioes.com. This interactive tool guides you through the various teaching standards allowing you to reflect on each as an area of strength or area of growth.

Decide what areas you would like to strengthen and then set a goal that is S.M.A.R.T. (Doran, 1981). A “smart” goal is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely. Make your goal specific to what you would like to accomplish. Is it a specific skill that you want students to learn? Is it a teaching strategy that you want to try? Do you want to get more education? Set goals that are beneficial for you and your students.

Then think about how you will measure progress on that goal. Will you have written data (pencil paper quizzes, Google forms, or similar) or will it be in the form of performance rubrics? Will you have graduate credit to show for your work? Perhaps you will be able to present at a professional development session for your colleagues. Whatever the goals are for your PGP, think about how you will show (measure) progress to your administration.

The next step is to determine if the goal is achievable within the timeframe allotted. Set goals that are challenging, but manageable. As music educators, our year can very often revolve around concerts, programs, or performances. When determining your professional goals, keep those high-pressure situations in mind. Integrate what has to be done with what you want to accomplish. A professional growth goal is a means to improve what you already do, not add more to your plate. Also, consider factors that might hinder your progress. Is it within your power to overcome those obstacles? For example, if the obstacle is a scheduling issue, are you able to change your schedule? If you do

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not have that control, then stay away from that particular goal. You must do what is achievable by you for your evaluation. While there are definitely obstacles worth tackling, for teacher evaluation purposes, you need to choose areas that are within your control.

Related to being achievable, is the idea of setting a realistic goal. What can you realistically achieve in the context of your school setting? Think about what time and resources you have available to you. Is the goal something that you can manage throughout the evaluation cycle on your own. If the goal relates to student achievement and you work in a team-teaching situation, are you able to achieve the goal if other team members are not involved? Your professional growth plan must show your growth.

The last of the S.M.A.R.T. goal criteria calls into question time constraints. Can you show reasonable progress within the evaluation cycle? Rome was not built in a day. Taking small steps throughout the year will help to accomplish the big picture goals. Try to set deadlines for progress in order to create a sense of urgency. What would you like to accomplish before the December break? By spring break? By the end of the year? By periodically monitoring your progress, you will be better equipped to discuss your PGP during the end of the year evaluation conference.

The ODE states that PGPs “must align to district and/or building improvement plans” (ODE, 2022). If you are unsure of what the building or district goals are, have a conversation with your building principal. Discuss the goals you would like to set and determine if they are appropriate to building goals. Many districts set goals related to increasing math and reading scores. However, music educators in Ohio are not required to use high stakes testing and shared attribution is no longer allowed. This means your professional goals do not need to be linked to math and reading scores. All school districts have a mission and vision statement. Many of them use phrases such as creating well-rounded students, inspiring life-long learners, delivering high quality education, empowering students for success, providing opportunities, developing lifelong learners and the like. These statements are often the same types of goals that music departments endeavor to instill. You can build off those vision and mission statements.

ODE also requires that PGPs “should reflect the evidence available and focus on the most recent evaluations and observations” and “be individualized to the

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needs of the teacher.” (ODE, 2022). In other words, the same goal can be used for many years if necessary. The teacher must show progress toward attaining the goal, but that does not mean that the entire goal must be reached within the 8-9 month evaluation cycle. Goals should be revisited and revised as necessary. Have frequent conversations with your evaluator on the progress you have made and the “next steps” that need to be taken. At the end of the evaluation cycle, you may decide to make new goals or continue working toward the same ones.

Finally, a frequently asked question is does the evidence need to be from my HQSD? Each district will determine if your PGP must include student growth measures. The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) states, “the PGP helps the teacher identify areas of professional development that will enable the teacher to enhance practice” (ODE, 2022). While the goals for your Professional Growth Plan do not need to be linked to student growth, they must show that by reaching your goal, you have become a more effective educator. Progress is measured through the evidence presented at the end of the conference with your evaluator.

It is crucial to be able to articulate not only what you intend to accomplish, but also how you will show evidence of meeting your goals. The evidence can be in a quantitative (shown through numerical or measurable data) or qualitative (shown through words and descriptions of factors that cannot be measured or counted) form. You must decide when writing your PGP which type of evidence will be used.

The evidence can be collected through HQSD. If your goal is to try a new teaching strategy, collecting beginning, middle, and end of the year data from the students would be a good way to show how the strategy is working for you. This data can be your HQSD if it meets the criteria (again see Fleischaker, 2021 for detailed descriptions). If you want to work toward having more student input in your classes, you might want to have students write out suggestions or critiques throughout the year to show your evaluator.

While your goals can be linked to HQSD, it might not need student assessment data to show progress. Perhaps you have a classroom management piece that you want to implement. Consider comparing the number of office referrals and/or parent contacts from one year (or semester) to the next. That would not meet high quality student data criteria, but it would show evidence of how the goal is progressing. Another example of a PGP that would not need HQSD is deciding to have more parent involvement in your program. You can show evidence by keeping track of how many parents attend concerts, volunteer for events, or become involved in the booster organization. These may support your professional growth, but would not be HQSD.

You must present evidence of student learning during the evaluation cycle, but it may not be related to your PGP. Each district will have their own guidelines so have a conversation early in the process. As stated, HQSD is specifically meant to demonstrate student achievement and all teachers must show that they are using a minimum of two different assessments that meet the HQSD guidelines regardless of their professional goals on the PGP.

While pre-observation conferences are not required, they are a time to have conversations with your evaluator about the goals you have set for your professional development and in your classroom. Whether or not this is a requirement for you, having a pre-conference is an excellent opportunity to explain to your evaluator what your goals are and how you will measure your progress toward them throughout the school year.

All teachers are required to have at least one summative conference during the evaluation progression. During the final summative conference, the evaluator gives the teacher an overall rating of effectiveness. Evidence used to produce this rating will come from the observation, the data collected from two forms of HQSD, and evidence gathered on the progress made towards the teacher’s PGP. The final conference happens toward the end of the school year. The evaluation process should be completed by May 1.

Navigating OTES 2.0 can and should be a positive experience! It is important to understand that OTES 2.0 is a framework. Your local district will develop and implement its own policies. Your evaluation will be more beneficial if you have conversations with your evaluator about expectations and protocols. Principals are not experts in every content area, so take the time to explain what you are doing in your classroom and why that is important. Use the conferences and/or informal meetings to educate your evaluator on your goals, expectations, and plans for growth.

Stay tuned for the winter TRIAD for examples, explanation, and tips from music colleagues from around the state who have implemented HQSD with

great success. You will see examples of the assessments they use, the ways that the metric meets the HQSD criteria, how they have compiled their data, and the benefits for their students. The final article in this series will focus on presenting evidence of progress toward your PGP and evidence of student achievement to your evaluators. Until then, have a wonderful school year!

REFERENCES

Doran, G. T. (1981). There’s a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management’s goals and objectives. Management Review. 70(11): 35–36. Fleischaker, R. (2021). OTES 2.0 is here! What now? TRIAD. 89(1), 33-38. Ohio Department of Education. (2020). Ohio teacher evaluation system 2.0 model. Ohio Department of Education. Retrieved from http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/ Topics/Teaching/Educator-Evaluation-System/ Ohio-s-Teacher-Evaluation-System/OTES-2-0/ModelOTES-2-0-Final-03-27-20.pdf.aspx?lang=en-US Ohio Department of Education. (September 15, 2022). Teacher evaluations. Retrieved from https://education.ohio.gov/ Topics/Teaching/Educator-Evaluations/Teacher-Evaluations Dr. Rachael Fleischaker (rfleisch@kent.edu) has taught elementary general music, band, and choir in Canton, Ohio for over 25 years. She earned her B.M.E. from the College of Wooster. Both her M.Ed. and Ph.D. are from Kent State University. Research interests include culturally responsive music education, music teacher development and support, and learning, assessment, and evaluation. She has presented numerous sessions over the years at OMEA Professional Development Conferences, at NAfME Professional Development conferences, and has reached international audiences by presenting at the 2022 International Society for Music Education Conference. Rachael is the chair of the OMEA Teacher Evaluation committee.