Two Minneapolis schools enter Q Comp program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 28, 2006
Contact: Joe McQuillen, Office: (651) 582-8756, Cell: (612) 845-0083
TWO MINNEAPOLIS SCHOOLS ENTER Q COMP PROGRAM
~ Sanford Middle School and Whittier International Elementary School to undertake professional development and achievement-based pay plan for teachers ~
Minneapolis – Commissioner of Education Alice Seagren announced today that the Minneapolis School District’s Sanford Middle School and Whittier International Elementary School will implement Minnesota’s nation-leading Q Comp performance and professional pay program. Sanford Middle School will receive $98,540 and Whittier Elementary will receive $87,100 in state aid for the 2006-07 school year for implementation efforts.
“Congratulations to the teachers and students of Sanford Middle School and Whittier Elementary,” said Commissioner of Education Alice Seagren. “They have taken steps to ensure that high student achievement is a priority for many years to come.”
Last year, Governor Pawlenty proposed and the state legislature approved Minnesota’s Q Comp program. Q Comp provides up to $86 million for districts that join the program.
Q Comp is designed to advance the teaching profession by providing structured professional development and evaluation, as well as an alternative pay schedule that compensates teachers based on performance, not just seniority. The program brings together career advancement, professional development and compensation linked to academic achievement. It includes a locally agreed-upon peer evaluation process for every teacher that is based on skills, responsibilities and student academic growth. This plan is voluntary and will add an additional $260 per student in participating districts.
The Q Comp program gives participating school districts the flexibility to meet local needs within a comprehensive model of improved teaching and learning. The administrations and teacher representatives at Sanford Middle School and Whittier Elementary School have agreed to the following:
Career advancement opportunities for teachers: The career ladder includes two positions with various duties and compensations. These positions are:
• Mentor Teacher- Collaborates with site level Teacher Advancement Program Leadership Teams, Cluster Teams, Mentor Teachers and Coaches and provides feedback to tenured teachers on goals and Teacher Individual Growth Plan, models instructional strategies to support attainment of professional and instructional goals, provides peer observation of classrooms and instructional strategies related to Q Comp Goals and collaborates with administration to provide feedback on goal progress. The mentor teacher is assigned part-time to classroom teaching assignment and is released the rest of the time to serve as an on-site professional developer. The mentor teacher receives additional compensation through release time and a salary augmentation of $5,000.
• Coach- Brings classroom expertise to the modeling, evaluations, and professional development of instructional strategies and professional development goals, collaborates with site level Teacher Advancement Program Leadership Teams, Mentor Teachers, and Classroom Teachers, facilitates, coaches and monitors implementation of instructional strategies related to Q Comp and other student achievement goals. Site instructional coaches are compensated through release time and through a salary augmentation of $3,000.
Job-embedded professional development: The focus for Q Comp will be on the district goal of equity education (academic achievement for all students) and accountability for results. In alignment with this goal, analyzed disaggregated student data will be used to identify student groups and skills that need improvement and set site Q Comp goals and measurable objectives. These goals and objectives are:
• Sanford Middle School will increase reading achievement for all students. By May 2007, all students will improve performance on the benchmark Northwest Achievement Levels Tests (NALT) reading test. Seventy percent will make at least one year’s growth, and students performing at the highest level (4th quartile) will maintain their scores with teachers demonstrating proficiency in teacher vocabulary development using task-specific graphic organizers.
• Whittier International Elementary School will accelerate academic achievement for all students in literacy so that by May 2007, all students will improve performance on the benchmark NALT test. Seventy percent will make at least one year’s growth, and students performing at the highest level (4th quartile) will maintain their scores due to teachers demonstrating proficiency in teaching main idea using metacognitive processes.
Sanford Middle School and Whittier Elementary will require a minimum of 60 minutes per week of job-embedded professional development. This time will be reserved for cluster meetings where teachers (in groups of 6-8) gather with their mentor and coach to learn new teaching strategies and examine student work. Individual appointments will be scheduled between teachers and the mentor and/or coach for modeling lessons, demonstration lessons, pre- and post-observation conferences.
Performance pay: Teacher compensation will be based on the following factors:
100% of teacher compensation is based on teacher and student performance. The performance awards are divided as follows:
50% Teacher Evaluation – Using the Teacher Advancement Program developed teacher evaluation, 50% of performance pay component will be based on use of this evaluation rubric and 50% Student Gains – The Minneapolis Public Schools will use the NALT and MCAs for school-wide performance calculated by valued-added measures.
Teachers will receive a set dollar value based on specific scores. The following payouts will apply under the above system:
• The SKR (skills, knowledge, and responsibilities) score will be rounded to the nearest quarter point. That score will be multiplied by $300 (up to a $1,500 maximum). SKR scores range from 1 to 5.
• School-wide gains will be based on QPI (quality performance indicators) scores for the school. Teachers will receive $100 for each QPI point (up to a $500 maximum).
Objective and comprehensive teacher evaluation: Classroom observations are based on the Teacher Advancement Program instructional rubric. The teacher’s scores for each evaluation will be totaled and averaged. The teachers will be formally observed four times over the course of a year: once by the mentor teacher, once by the instructional coach, and once by an administrator.
Alternative professional pay schedule: The Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) has three different pay components within the district – Pro-Pay, TAP, and steps and lanes. MPS is working toward merging or consolidating Pro-Pay and TAP so that there is one comprehensive professional pay system in the district. It is our understanding that teachers in TAP will receive the same guaranteed salary, as required by Q Comp, and will receive the performance pay as one-time compensation with the understanding that a new salary schedule and professional pay system, merging TAP and Pro-Pay, will be finalized when the MOU is ratified in late May/early June.
“Teachers will learn new teaching strategies, which have already been field-tested, and apply those to their lessons,” said Whittier International Elementary Principal Armando Camacho. “I have no doubt that implementing this program will improve not only our instruction, but also student achievement.”
Sanford Middle School is a sixth through eighth grade school located in the Longfellow neighborhood of Southeast Minneapolis.
Whittier International Elementary is a Pre K-5 school. They are working on International Baccalaureate authorization as well as implementing the Q Comp program.
Minneapolis (various sites), Hopkins, St. Francis, Mounds View, St. Cloud, Alexandria, Fridley, La Crescent-Hokah and Marshall started implementing the Q Comp program during the 2005-06 school year.
Grand Meadow, Albert Lea, Alden-Conger, Brainerd, Wayzata, Eden Prairie, Red Rock Central, International Falls, Le Center, St. Louis Park, Osseo, Lac Qui Parle, North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale, Clearbrook-Gonvick, Proctor, Burnsville and St. Anthony-New Brighton school districts will begin implementing during the 2006-07 school year.
Approximately 134 school districts have indicated to the Department of Education they are planning to submit an application for the 2006-07 and 2007-08 school years.
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