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Student Growth Objectives Update
The purpose of setting student growth objectives (SGOs) is to help teachers and student services professionals (SSPs) examine the impact of their instruction or professional services. Student Growth Objectives must be attainable and grounded in the reality of a teacher/SSP’s work. Teachers/SSPs have the flexibility to select or to develop assessment tools appropriate to their content and population.
Goals and Objectives
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SGOs are not the primary strategy for achieving building level, principal/manager or district goals.
- Goals express large-scale or strategic expectations. They are pursued over longer periods of time. Examples include Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), elements of the School Improvement Plan and the district’s goals.
- Objectives describe smaller scale or tactical expectations that are focused on the specific context in which a teacher/SSP works.
Collaborative Process
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Setting Student Growth Objectives presents an opportunity to initiate a professional conversation between principals/managers and teachers/SSPs.
- The objectives must be developed through a collaborative process between the teacher/SSP and the principal/manager.
- The specific objectives and measures will not be mandated by either party.
Parameters for SGOs
- The Student Growth Objectives process is designed to help the teacher examine the impact of instruction on the students who are in attendance 85% of the time.
- Teachers/SSPs and principals/managers will reach consensus on the percent of the total population to include in an objective. Three criteria for deciding what makes sense are the needs of the student population, the level(s) the teacher/SSP serves, and the time allocated for instruction or intervention.
- Addressing 100% of the teacher/SSP’s assigned population is not a requirement.
Growth and Achievement
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SGOs are based on growth, not achievement.
- Growth is measured over time. An example of a measure of growth is progress toward grade level.
- Achievement is measured at one point in time. Examples of measures of achievement include grade level, CSAP proficiency level, or the grade on a final exam.
Student Growth Objectives Process
Student growth objectives will be submitted in handwritten form during the 2005-06 school year, while the online tool is refined. Objectives are due to principals and managers by October 31. Teachers and Student Services Professionals (SSPs) are asked to print out and use the Objective Work Sheet that is available at dpsteacherobjectives.org. The website also contains four handbooks with sample objectives and guidelines tailored to teachers and SSPs by school level and work assignment.
The web based application for setting student growth objectives will be ready October 24. Schools may choose to pilot the new version of the tool, but they are not required to do so. The ProComp Team will be recruiting schools to assist with piloting the web-based application this fall, so that it can be improved.
Key Dates for setting and submitting Student Growth Objectives:
Oct. 24 Web-based tool available for optional use
Oct. 31 Objectives due to principals and managers
Nov. 23 Conferences on student growth objectives should be completed and objectives submitted
Student Growth Objectives Handbook Improves for Users
The Student Growth Objectives handbook has been revised to make it easier for for teachers, student services professionals (specialists) and administrators to use it. The handbook has more sample objectives and is now available in five versions customized to the academic level or an individual’s job assignment.
- Elementary teachers
- Secondary teachers
- Teachers in ECE-8 Schools
- Student Services Professionals assigned to a school or department
- Itinerant Student Services Professionals with no home school
The handbook can be viewed and printed online with Adobe Acrobat reader, which can be downloaded from the site.
Hard copies of the relevant handbook will also be distributed to supervisors so they can be available for reference.
The changes were made following feedback last spring from users gathered in through an online survey of teachers and specialists and 8 focus groups of teachers, principals, student service professionals and their managers.
End users told ProComp and the Curriculum Department that they wanted more sample objectives and an easier way to find information. Improvements include:
§ More than 20 new sample objectives have been developed, including media specialists, student advisors, literacy and math coaches, psychologists, OT/PTs and speech therapists.
§ A revised Table of Contents makes it easier to find the specific tools users want, such as a checklist that describes the criteria in a well-written objective.