To update the language of this rule to reflect changes arising from the passage of HB 7069 making the use of VAM optional in educator evaluations.  

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    DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

    State Board of Education

    RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

    6A-5.0411Calculations of Student Learning Growth for Use in School Personnel Evaluations

    PURPOSE AND EFFECT: To update the language of this rule to reflect changes arising from the passage of HB 7069 making the use of VAM optional in educator evaluations.

    SUMMARY: The first change in this proposed rule revision is including clarifying language to indicate that the use of the state calculations measuring student learning growth for inclusion in personnel evaluations by districts is optional. As part of this first change, language explicitly stating that districts must use the state calculation is being removed. The second change is the addition of language explaining how districts may use state calculations for school administrators. Other proposed changes are those that clarify terminology and methodology used in the statistical calculations of student learning growth, and remove exemptions that no longer apply because the use of these results is now optional under any circumstance.

    SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS AND LEGISLATIVE RATIFICATION:

    The Agency has determined that this will not have an adverse impact on small business or likely increase directly or indirectly regulatory costs in excess of $200,000 in the aggregate within one year after the implementation of the rule. A SERC has not been prepared by the Agency.

    The Agency has determined that the proposed rule is not expected to require legislative ratification based on the statement of estimated regulatory costs or if no SERC is required, the information expressly relied upon and described herein: After analysis of the proposed rule’s potential economic impact, it was determined that the adverse impact or regulating cost, if any, is not expected to exceed the economic analysis criteria set forth in s. 120.541(2)(a), F.S. More specifically, the agency intends to implement the proposed rule within its current workload, with existing staff and the proposal does not increase the reporting requirements or any other requirements on districts and does not require legislative ratification.

    Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.

    RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: 1012.34, FS.

    LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1012.34, FS.

    A HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:

    DATE AND TIME: March 27, 2018, 9:00 a.m.

    PLACE: Hendry County, LaBelle High School, 4050 E. Cowboy Way, LaBelle, FL 33935.

    THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Jason Gaitanis, Bureau Chief, Bureau of Accountability Reporting, 325 West Gaines Street, Room 544, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400; (850)245-0411; or jason.gaitanis@fldoe.org.

     

    THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

     

    6A-5.0411 Calculations of Student Learning Growth for Use in School Personnel Evaluations.

    (1) Purpose. The purpose of this rule is to provide districts choosing to use the formulas for measuring student learning growth approved by the commissioner with a framework for using and interpreting scores, the statewide standards for determining each performance level for use in school district instructional personnel evaluation systems developed under Section 1012.34, F.S., and to provide information for use in the approval of school leader preparation programs under Section 1012.562, F.S. procedures associated with implementing the formulas and standards.

    (2) Definitions. For the purposes of this rule, the following definitions apply.

    (a) through (b) No change.

    (c) “Covariate.” A covariate is a variable or set of variables reflecting measured characteristics used in computing a statistical model that controls for specific influences on the outcome being modeled.

    (d) No change.

    (e) “Expected score.” An expected score generated by a value-added model for a statewide, standardized assessment is based on the student’s prior statewide, standardized assessment score history and covariates, measured characteristics as well as how other students in the state actually performed on the assessment. For each individual student, the expected score is the sum across all covariates of the value of the covariate multiplied by that covariate’s contribution to student learning as estimated by the covariate adjustment model.

    (f) through (i) No change.

    (j) “Value-added model” or “VAM.” A value-added model is a statistical model used for the purpose of determining an individual teacher’s contribution to student learning growth.

    (3) Formulas for measuring student learning growth.

    (a) The English Language Arts and Mathematics value-added models.

    1. The formula for measuring student learning growth using student English Language Arts and Mathematics results approved by the commissioner is shall be a covariate adjustment value-added model.

    The value-added model statistically establishes the expected learning growth for each student, called an expected score. When a student’s actual performance differs from these expectations, a portion of that difference is attributed to the teacher’s and a portion is attributed to the school’s influence. Together, this information is used to compute a teacher’s value-added score. School value-added scores are the average of the teacher value-added scores within the school, and are provided to districts that choose to use them for the performance of students component of administrator evaluations required under Section 1012.34(3)(a)1., F.S.

    2. No change.

    3. The covariates included in the value-added model approved by the commissioner are: shall be

    a. through j. No change.

    4. a. through b. No change.

    (b) The Algebra I value-added models.

    1. The formula for measuring student learning growth using student results from the statewide, standardized end-of-course assessment in Algebra I pursuant to Section 1008.22, F.S., approved by the commissioner is shall be a covariate adjustment value-added model.

    The value-added model statistically establishes the expected learning growth for each student, called an expected score. When a student’s actual performance differs from these expectations, a portion of that difference is attributed to the teacher’s and a portion is attributed to the school’s influence. Together, this information is used to compute a teacher’s value-added score. School value-added scores are the average of the teacher value-added scores within the school, and are provided for districts that choose to use them for the performance of students component of administrator evaluations required under Section 1012.34(3)(a)1., F.S.

    2. No change.

    3. The covariates included in the Algebra I value-added model approved by the commissioner shall include those listed under sub-subparagraphs (3)(a)3.a.-j., as well as the following:

    a. through c. No change.

    4. The formula produces a value-added score for a teacher. For Algebra I, the score is the teacher effect. The teacher effect is an estimate of a teacher’s contributions to student achievement as measured by scores on statewide, standardized assessments. It is based on the difference between expected scores and actual scores for a teacher’s students relative to other teachers in the school, among students assessed in the same subject at the same grade level during the same year.

    (4) Data Collected and Reported for VAM.

    (a) No change.

    (b) Results provided to districts shall include the following information for each statewide, standardized assessment for which a formula has been adopted:

    1. A value-added score for each teacher and administrator based on the statewide, standardized assessment associated with the course(s) that the teacher taught during the current year or the school the administrator was assigned to during the current year. This score shall be reported for each grade level and subject area covered by the statewide assessment.

    2. a. through c. No change.

    d. The aggregate score shall be calculated by standardizing the value-added scores by converting them to a proportion of a year’s average growth within the grade and subject for the year, and combining them across all grades and subjects for as many of the last three (3) years as data are available. For districts choosing to use school score(s) for administrator evaluations, districts may elect to combine multiple one (1) year, two (2) year, and three (3) year aggregate scores that reflect the school(s) to which the administrator was assigned and the years to which they were assigned to those school(s) during the period.

    3. through 4. No change.

    (5) Classifying and Interpreting Scores. Performance level Standards for Courses Associated with Statewide, Standardized Assessments.

    (a) Data elements used by the department to classify and interpret scores to set performance level standards are as follows:

    1. through 3. No change.

    (b) Ratings. Districts may use the rating provided by the department Performance level standards for the Performance of Students Criterion. The performance standards for the performance of students criterion in performance evaluations under Section 1012.34, F.S., for classroom teachers of courses associated with statewide, standardized assessments and administrators shall be as follows.

    1. Ratings Performance level standards for Florida’s value-added models. The Department provides ratings performance level standards for grade-specific and aggregate scores from the English Language Arts, and Mathematics, and Algebra I value-added models. shall be established using the 3-year aggregate combined VAM score for English Language Arts and Mathematics and the grade level VAM score for Algebra I provided by the Department, except as follows:

    a. When a teacher has any student in their VAM score used to determine the Performance of Students component of a teacher’s annual evaluation who had an expected score on any assessment that was higher than the score it was possible to achieve on that assessment;

    b. The number of assessments used to calculate the VAM score used to determine the Performance of Students component of a teacher’s annual evaluation is fewer than ten (10);

    c. The teacher is not present for more than 50% of the school days associated with the course; or

    d. The teacher’s VAM score used to determine the Performance of Students component of a teacher’s annual evaluation includes Advanced Academics courses (7755040 or 7855040).

    In the circumstances described in (5)(b)1.a. through d. above, the district shall not be required to use the results of the VAM formula but instead may select an alternative measure of student performance to be used in the educator’s evaluation.

    2. The ratings performance level standards for the English Language Arts, and Mathematics, and Algebra I value-added models are as follows:

    a. Highly Effective. A highly effective rating on Performance of Students criteria is demonstrated by a value-added score of greater than zero (0), where all of the scores contained within the associated 95-percent confidence interval also lie above zero (0).

    b. Effective. An effective rating on Performance of Students criteria is demonstrated by the following:

    (I) through (III) No change.

    c. Needs Improvement, or Developing if the teacher has been teaching for fewer than three (3) years. A needs improvement or developing rating on Performance of Students criteria is demonstrated by a value-added score that is less than zero (0), where the entire 68-percent confidence interval falls below zero (0), but where a portion of the 95-percent confidence interval lies above zero (0).

    d. Unsatisfactory. An unsatisfactory rating on Performance of Students criteria is demonstrated by a value-added score of less than zero (0), where all of the scores contained within the 95-percent confidence interval also lie below zero (0).

    (c) Implementing the performance-level standards.

    Beginning with the evaluations for the performance during the 2015-16 school year, each district school board will implement the performance level standards for Florida’s English Language Arts, Mathematics and Algebra I value-added models, as described in this rule.

    Rulemaking Authority 1012.34 FS. Law Implemented 1012.34 FS. History–New 9-9-15. Amended.

     

    NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Juan Copa, Deputy Commissioner, Division of Accountability, Research and Measurement.

    NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Pam Stewart, Commissioner, Department of Education.

    DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: February 07, 2018

    DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: January 11, 2018

Document Information

Comments Open:
2/16/2018
Summary:
The first change in this proposed rule revision is including clarifying language to indicate that the use of the state calculations measuring student learning growth for inclusion in personnel evaluations by districts is optional. As part of this first change, language explicitly stating that districts must use the state calculation is being removed. The second change is the addition of language explaining how districts may use state calculations for school administrators. Other proposed ...
Purpose:
To update the language of this rule to reflect changes arising from the passage of HB 7069 making the use of VAM optional in educator evaluations.
Rulemaking Authority:
1012.34, Florida Statutes.
Law:
1012.34, Florida Statutes.
Contact:
Jason Gaitanis, Bureau Chief, Bureau of Accountability Reporting, 325 West Gaines Street, Room 544, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400; (850)245-0411; or jason.gaitanis@fldoe.org.
Related Rules: (1)
6A-5.0411. Calculations of Student Learning Growth for Use in School Personnel Evaluations