Annual Professional Performance Review or APPR: The state term for this evaluation system. Your annual rating based upon Measures of Teacher Practice and Measures of Student Learning.
Components: Eight specific areas of teacher practice found in the four domains of the Danielson Framework. Each component is scored on a HEDI range of 1 to 4, from low to high, based on what was observed. At the end of the year, your component averages are weighted and combined into an observation (MOTP) rating.
Default measure: A measure applied schoolwide in the event that a principal does not accept the recommendations of the MOSL school committee. The Chancellor selects the assessments that will be used in the default measures, based on recommendations from the central MOSL committee.
Domains: The components of the Danielson Framework are grouped into four domains: Domain 1 - planning and preparation; Domain 2 - the classroom environment; Domain 3 - instruction; Domain 4 - professional responsibilities.
Evaluator: The principal, assistant principal, district superintendent or assistant superintendent who has received training to evaluate teachers in accordance with state Education Law §3012-d.
Final Composite APPR or APPR Composite: Your final rating is based on the combined HEDI ratings you receive for your Measures of Student Learning and the Measures of Teacher Practice.
Goal-setting: One of two models for measuring student performance. Targets are set for student performance. MOSL is determined by the extent to which students meet the target.
Group measures: Also called grade-level or schoolwide measures. These are measures that cross classrooms and are based on all students in a particular grade and/or subject taking the same assessments. These measures can be used with teachers who taught this particular grade and subject, and with teachers who did not. For example, a high school music teacher might have a MOSL based on all the ELA exams in the school.
Growth measure: Once assessments are selected, the principal and committee will choose one of two methods for measuring student growth — a growth model or goal-setting.
Growth model: One of the models for measuring student progress. Results are based on the growth of similar students in the same grade and subject on the same assessment.
HEDI: This is an acronym for the four rating categories: Highly Effective, Effective, Developing and Ineffective. Teachers receive a HEDI rating in MOTP, MOSL and (once those are combined) for their overall rating.
Initial planning conference (IPC): An in-person conversation with an evaluator conducted at a mutually agreed upon time no later than the last Friday in October. The IPC can be used to discuss the year ahead and the minimum number of observations you will receive, as well as whether or not you would like to include videotaping in your observations. You may also express your preference for how you would like to receive feedback. If your observation plan includes a formal observation, and the observation takes place less than 20 days before your formal observation, then the IPC may serve as your pre-observation conference.
Low-inference notes: Among the notes an evaluator takes during any formal or informal classroom observation. Notes that are not explicitly labeled as “observation report” are considered low-inference notes. Low-inference notes belong solely to your evaluator and do not constitute a record, formal or informal, of the teacher observation process. They may not be included within your file.
Measures of Student Learning (MOSL): One of the two components of a teacher’s rating. An assessment tool (composed of assessments and growth measures) that provides insight into a student’s progress in a particular subject.
Measures of Teacher Practice (MOTP): One of the two components of a teacher’s rating. An evaluator’s assessment of a teacher’s strengths and challenges based primarily on classroom observation. Observation protocols are among those sources that are used to evaluate teachers and to improve a teacher’s skills. Student outcomes are the result of a set of factors including teaching practices.
Performance-based assessments: Assessments that look at how well a student performs on a specific task.
Progress monitoring assessments: Third-party assessments that allow teachers to assess academic performance. Examples include Degrees of Reading Power and Teachers College Reaching and Writing Project.
Project-based learning assessments: Determined by evaluating the work a student does over time in conjunction with a specific project-based learning unit. These projects and/or units must allow a student to demonstrate standards-based academic growth.
School-based MOSL committee: An eight-member committee at every school, including the UFT chapter leader and the principal. The UFT chapter leader selects three staff members and the principal selects the other three. School committees select the MOSL for their school, which they present to the principal. If the principal does not accept the full slate of recommendations from the committee, then the schoolwide default measure is applied to all grade and subjects except those where the state requires a state exam. (See DEFAULT MEASURE.)
Summative end-of-year conference: A face-to-face conversation between teacher and evaluator conducted between the last Friday in April and the last Friday in June. The purpose is to discuss the classroom observations and scored evaluations throughout the year. During this conference, you can answer any questions your supervisor has.