Lake International Language Academy enters Q Comp program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: |
Contact: Joe McQuillen |
LAKES INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE ACADEMY
ENTERS Q COMP PROGRAM
~Becomes the 17th charter school to enter professional development and achievement-based pay system~
Forest Lake – Commissioner of Education Alice Seagren announced today that Lakes International Language Academy will implement Minnesota’s nation-leading Q Comp performance and professional pay program. The school will receive $95,680 in total revenue for the 2007-08 school year for implementation.
“I commend Lakes International Language Academy on their decision to participate in this important education reform,” said Education Commissioner Alice Seagren. “Doing so will give the district’s teachers an opportunity to enhance their skills, which will help raise student achievement.”
In 2005, 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 up to 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 Lakes International administration and teacher representatives have agreed to the following:
Provide career ladders or career advancement opportunities for teachers: The career ladder includes three positions with various duties and compensations. These positions are:
• Building Instructional Leader- Provides team leaders with resources of best practices; meets with the team leaders on a weekly basis; coordinates with team leaders to meet school/classroom needs; works with team leaders, director and curriculum coordinator to evaluate the site goal; strives to observe and evaluate all teachers three times per year and conduct pre- and post-evaluation conferences with teachers before and after each observation; researches and field-tests instructional strategies; works with curriculum coordinator to develop on-site training and other staff development; is an active member of the school leadership team; models teaching to aid in individual teacher growth; and helps team leaders develop and work towards professional growth plan. Release time and a $5,000 salary augmentation will be given as compensation.
• Team Leader- Field tests and models instructional strategies and best practices for teachers; supports teachers in their growth plan; provides resources based on needs and the school-wide achievement goal; establishes effective professional relationships that display respect, trust and open communication; conducts formal evaluations of each member of their PLC three times per year as well as pre-and post-observation conferences; meets individually with teachers monthly to collaborate and discuss progress on goals; meets with the PLC at least bi-weekly to facilitate progress on goals, as well as provide guidance on student needs; and motivates and encourages teachers to improve student achievement. Compensation is release time and a $3,000 salary augmentation.
• School Advancement Specialist- Meets with the building instructional leader to assess where their expertise is needed; assists with strategies and implementation of techniques; provides staff development, as-needed; and continues to acquire knowledge of emerging techniques and information in their area of expertise. A $1,000 to $5,000 salary augmentation will be given as compensation. $1,000 for one hour per week; $1,000-$2,000 for working with two to four teachers; $1,000-$3,000 for working with a PLC or seven to nine teachers; $1,000-$5,000 for working with the entire school staff.
Job-embedded professional development: The school determined the following goal in alignment with their educational improvement plan (EIP). In 2007-2008 the rate of students reaching growth targets on the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) reading assessment will be 50% or more of all students tested compared to 2005-2006, when 48% of students tested from fall to spring reached growth target. Growth targets are determined individually for each student, based on fall test scores and data from NWEA in one year of growth.
Teachers will be proficient in strategies specific to balanced literacy, such as guided reading, literacy circles and modeled and shared writing. Teacher proficiency will be based on professional teaching standards, after the teacher has received coaching on the use of the strategies.
Teachers will work with their team leader to design, implement and reflect upon their professional growth plan and their achievement of their goal. Decisions regarding the earning of performance pay related to plan achievement will be measured by the team leaders, building instructional leader and/or the school director using the plan as a guide.
Objective and comprehensive teacher evaluation: Each teacher at Lakes International Language Academy will be observed and receive evaluations three times per year and there may be other informal observations based on need. The evaluation team includes the building instructional leader, the assigned team leader and one administrator (curriculum coordinator, IB coordinator or director). Evaluations, conducted by at least two members of the evaluation team, are based on classroom observation and scored using Lead Teacher Minnesota. Exemplary status must be achieved in all three evaluations to earn full performance pay. If teachers do not achieve an average rating of exemplary after all three evaluations their performance pay will be prorated.
Teachers will be a part of their pre-and post-observation conferences and will reflect on their own performance. If the self-reflection score differs by 30% from the team evaluation score, that teacher will be given a chance to schedule another evaluation. If the administrator was not present on the first evaluation, the building instructional leader and the assigned team leader, as well as another team leader will conduct another evaluation. If discrepancies continue after the second evaluation, the Q Comp committee will address the issue.
Performance pay: A teacher’s compensation will be based on the following factors:
• $800/20% for school-wide gains: A two percent increase in students meeting or exceeding their target RIT score from fall 2007 to spring 2008
• $800/20% for measures of student achievement: A two percent increase in students meeting or exceeding their target RIT score from fall 2007 to spring 2008
• $800/20% for teacher evaluation: Achieving an average score of two or three over the three evaluations using the Lead Teacher Minnesota rubric
o Full compensation will be received for an average rating of three
o 90% or $720 of the compensation for an average rating of 2.7
o 67% or $537 of the compensation will be given if an average rating of two is earned
• $1,600/40% for a professional growth plan: Measured by the team leaders, building instructional leader and/or director using the professional growth plan form as a guide and demonstrated by each teacher by designing, implementing and reflecting on their own goal.
Alternative professional pay schedule: Part-time teachers will participate in the school-wide achievement and teacher evaluation prorated on the percentage of time they are contracted for. Measures of student achievement will be customized based on what student populations the teacher’s work has influenced and prorated based on their contract percentage time.
After the 2007-2008 school year, a percentage of each teacher’s performance pay will be added to his/her base salary. Three out of the four areas for performance pay will be considered when determining the amount to be added: the school-wide student achievement goal, measures of student achievement and teacher evaluation.
“Lakes International Language Academy is proud to be part of Q Comp,” said School Director Cam Hedlund. “It reinforces our desire to reward good teaching as well as provide extra dollars for staff development.”
Lakes International Language Academy is a K-6 Spanish immersion school.
Lakes International is the seventeenth charter school to be approved for the Q Comp program behind: Crosslake Community School ● New Visions School ● TRIO Wolf Creek Charter School ● Emily Charter ● El Colegio Charter School ● STRIDE Academy ● Minnesota Transitions Charter Schools ● Oh Day Aki Charter ● Northfield School of Art and Technology (ARTech) ● Beacon Academy ● Duluth Public Schools Academy ● Sojourner Truth Academy ● Ridgeway Charter School ● E.C.H.O Charter School ● Hmong Academy
The following districts have been approved for Q Comp during the 2007-08 school year.
Rosemount-Eagan-Apple Valley ● Roseville (three sites) ● Orono ● Forest Lake ● Minneapolis (various sites) ● Brooklyn Center
School districts that began implementing the Q Comp program during the 2006-07 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 ● St. Anthony-New Brighton ● Minnetonka ● Delano ● Centennial ● Pine River ● Brandon ● South Washington County ● South Saint Paul ● Farmington ● Roseville (various sites) ● Minneapolis (various sites)
School districts that started implementing the Q Comp program during the 2005-06 school year. Minneapolis (various sites) ● Hopkins ● St. Francis ● Mounds View ● St. Cloud ● Alexandria ● Fridley ● La Crescent-Hokah ● Marshall
Several districts have indicated they are planning to submit Q Comp applications.
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