TELL ACPS Preliminary Findings Teaching, Empowering, Leading & Learning TELL ACPS Preliminary Findings Teaching, Empowering, Leading & Learning Alexandria

TELL ACPS Preliminary Findings

Teaching, Empowering, Leading & Learning

Alexandria City Public Schools

Board of Education Meeting

May 8, 2014Ann Maddock

New Teacher Center

Copyright © 2014 New Teacher Center. All Rights Reserved.

BACKGROUND

The TELL ACPS Survey was administered in direct response to the feedback the Total Compensation Review Committee received in winter 2012-2013 in our survey of all licensed staff.

• Respondents told us that working environment was of great importance ,so ACPS enlisted the dedicated, research-backed support of the New Teacher Center to periodically evaluate teaching conditions in ACPS to identify our areas of strength and concern and provide support in making targeted, positive changes to our working environment.


NTC Teaching Conditions Clients 2008-2014

New Teacher Center (NTC) assists states and school districts in administering the anonymous survey and has a proven track record of successful administration in numerous states.

Since the survey’s inception in 2002, we have more than 1 million responses recorded. Data has been provided to over 26,000 schools across the nation that met the minimum response rate threshold.


What Have We Learned?

1. Connection to Student Achievement

2. It’s About Keeping Effective Teachers

3. Where You Sit Shapes How You See Things


TELL ACPS SURVEY


What is “TELL ACPS” ?

TELL (Teaching, Empowering, Leading and Learning) ACPS is an anonymous survey of school-based licensed educators (including principals) in ACPS that will assess teaching conditions at the school and division level. It is based on the New Teacher Center’s TELL Survey used in as many as twenty states across the country.

The division is committed to ensuring that every educator has the supportive environment necessary to succeed and will administer the TELL Survey in the school year 2013-2014.


Who are the TELL ACPS Partners and individuals assisting in this initiative?

Leigh Arscott Christina Bohringer Joseph Joe H. Cappadonia Sandra HardemanStephanie A. KapsisSeth KennardGerald Mann, JrGina MillerKevin NorthMelynda Wilcox


Survey Dates: February 18-March 17, 2014


Areas Assessed


Teachers and administrators received their anonymous access codes

A designated person in each school received the packet of materials which included the Letter to Educators.

Your random, anonymous

access code!


RESULTS & PRELIMINARY FINDINGS


About the 2014 ACPS Respondents

• 70.7 percent response rate (1,010) ACPS Educators

• 87 percent Teachers• 1 percent Principals• 2 percent Assistant Principals• 9 percent other education

professionals (school counselors, school psychologists, social workers, etc.)

• 22 of 23 (95.6 percent) schools met or exceeded the 50 percent participation threshold


The following Tables reference Rates of Agreement (RA) in percentage format which

reflects the sum of ‘Strongly Agree’ and Agree.’


Finding: Educators Report Important Community Support Conditions are Present

Select Community Support and Involvement Questions

2014 RA %

Teachers provide parents/guardians with useful information about student learning.

91.9

This school does a good job of encouraging parent/guardian involvement.

81.2

The community we serve is supportive of this school.

79.5

This school maintains clear, two-way communication with the community.

78.8

Parents/guardians know what is going on in this school.

73.2


Finding: TELL ACPS results indicate educators have mixed views related to the presence of structures to effectively manage student behavior and solve problems.

Mixed results were found on multiple constructs across the survey indicating a few areas that

may require further exploration by the district.

The following slides provide examples.


Managing Student Conduct

Select Managing Student Conduct Questions2014RA %

The faculty work in a school environment that is safe.

85.4

Students at this school follow rules of conduct. 53.6

School administrators consistently enforce rules for student conduct.

50.6


Teacher Leadership

Select Teacher Leadership Questions2014RA %

Teachers are encouraged to participate in school leadership roles.

82.7

The faculty has an effective process for making group decisions to solve problems.

51.4

Teachers have an appropriate level of influence on decision making in this school.

45.9

Results from the Teacher Leadership construct suggest additional areas may need to be addressed such as

decision-making processes.


School Leadership

Select School Leadership Questions2014RA %

Teachers are held to high professional standards for delivering instruction.

89.0

The school leadership facilitates using data to improve student learning.

89.7

There is an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect in this school.

56.7

Teachers feel comfortable raising issues and concerns that are important to them.

56.6

Results from the School Leadership construct also suggest additional areas may need to be addressed such as trust.


Professional Development

Select Professional Development Questions2014 RA %

Teachers are encouraged to reflect on their own practice.

83.5

Professional learning opportunities are aligned with the school’s improvement plan.

83.4

Professional development is differentiated to meet the needs of individual teachers.

38.2

Professional development is evaluated and results are communicated to teachers.

35.8

Respondents report less than 70 percent agreement on 10 out of 12 questions regarding Professional Development.


Area Had NeedSpecial education (gifted and talented) 10.2 48.9

Closing the Achievement Gap 27.6 63.3

Special education (students with disabilities) 29.0 60.0

English Language Learners 35.0 60.7

Classroom management 20.5 31.4

Your content area 55.6 37.2

Integrating technology into instruction 44.4 51.9

Student assessment 44.9 33.8

Reading strategies 50.3 39.9

Differentiating instruction 56.9 50.5

Methods of teaching 51.9 34.4

Professional Development: Received & NeedIn the past 2 years have YOU had 10 clock hours or more of professional development in the following areas?Do YOU need additional support in the following areas to effectively teach your students?


Instructional Practices and Support Items

Select Instructional Practices and Support Items 2014 RA %

Teachers require students to work hard. 91.6Teachers use assessment data to inform their instruction. 91.8

Two of the top three questions that educators most strongly agree with across the entire survey come from the

Instructional Practices and Support construct.


Finding: ACPS educators report least favorably to Time issues.

Select Time Questions2014 RA %

Teachers have time available to collaborate with colleagues.

45.2

The non-instructional time provided for teachers in my school is sufficient.

41.3

Teachers are allowed to focus on educating students with minimal interruptions.

40.7

Efforts are made to minimize the amount of routine paperwork teachers are required to do.

38.3


Future Employment Plans: Rates of Agreement - Stayers and Movers

Top Survey Questions of Difference2014 RA %

DifferenceStayers Movers

The school leadership makes a sustained effort to address teacher concerns about leadership issues.

63.1 21.4 41.7

There is an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect in this school.

60.9 20.8 40.1

Teachers receive feedback that can help them improve teaching.

71.8 34.4 37.4

In this school we take steps to solve problems.

71.1 35.3 35.8

The school leadership consistently supports teachers.

65.3 29.7 35.6


Beginning Teachers vs. Veteran Teachers

Survey Questions of Difference2014 RA %

DifferenceBeginning Teachers

Veterans

Teachers have sufficient access to office equipment and supplies such as copy machines, paper, pens, etc. 52.4 64.9 -12.5Teachers have sufficient access to appropriate instructional materials. 57.0 67.4 -10.4Teachers have sufficient access to instructional technology, including computers, printers, software and internet access. 70.3 76.3 -6.0Teachers are protected from duties that interfere with their essential role of educating students. 56.7 61.7 -5.0


Teachers and Principals:Differing Perspectives

Top Survey Questions of Difference2014 RA %

DifferenceTeachers Principals

School administrators consistently enforce rules for student conduct.

47.8 100 52.2

Teachers have time to collaborate with colleagues.

42.8 92.9 50.1

Students at this school follow rules of conduct.

51.1 100 48.9

The school leadership makes a sustained effort to address teacher concerns about the use of time in my school.

52.1 100 47.9

Teachers feel comfortable raising issues and concerns that are important to them.

54.3 100 45.8


Summary

ACPS educators indicate positive teaching conditions are present in the areas of Instructional Practices and Support and Community Support and Involvement.

Respondents agree that assessment data is being used by teachers to inform instruction and improve student learning.

School and Teacher Leadership constructs show areas of concern that should be further examined.

The construct of Time is the area with the lowest rates of agreement.

Schools need to examine their professional development offerings.


Now that the Data is in…..


Data Use GuideSchool Guide for Using TELL Data

District Guide for Using TELL Data

Guides are Available on the “Tools” Tab

• May 5 Webinar for Principals and School Leaders

• May 8 ACPS Cabinet Work Session


May 9

Schools will be able to access their results via pass codes. Guides and Tools are available on the www.tellacps.org website

May 15 School and district results will be made publicly available. NTC Preliminary Report posted to the website.

May-June: NTC will provide additional data analyses for your leadership team to review; Deliver webinars (if desired as follow up) specifically for ACPS school and teacher leaders to help generate ideas for school improvement strategies.

http://www.tellacps.org/


Contact Information

Ann MaddockSenior Advisor, New Teacher [email protected]

Documents

TELL ACPS Preliminary Findings Teaching, Empowering, Leading & Learning TELL ACPS Preliminary Findings Teaching, Empowering, Leading & Learning Alexandria