TRIO Wolf Creek Distance Learning Approved for Q Comp
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: |
Contact: Ken Kaffine |
Q COMP PROGRAM CONTINUES TO GROW
~ TRIO Wolf Creek Distance Learning becomes the 10th charter school in state to undertake professional development and achievement-based pay plan for teachers ~
Chisago City – Commissioner of Education Alice Seagren announced today that TRIO Wolf Creek Distance Learning will implement Minnesota’s nation-leading Q Comp performance and professional pay program. TRIO Wolf Creek Distance Learning will be the 10th charter school in the state to participate in Q Comp and will receive $23,140 in state aid to implement the program during the 2006-07 school year.
“Q Comp gives the school an opportunity to advance the teaching profession by improving professional development and linking compensation to academic achievement,” Education Commissioner Alice Seagren said. “On behalf of Governor Pawlenty, I commend TRIO Wolf Creek Distance Learning and its teachers on their decision to participate in this groundbreaking education reform.”
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 another $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. TRIO Wolf Creek Distance Learning’s administration and teacher representatives have agreed to the following:
Career advancement opportunities for teachers: The career ladder includes one position with various duties and compensations. That position is:
Lead Learning Manager This position will receive a salary augmentation of $4,000 for additional time in mentoring other staff and providing staff development on curriculum strategies including the thinking maps chosen for use as instructional strategies around the Q Comp goal.
Integrated, job-embedded, on-going, site-based and teacher-led professional development activities to improve instructional skills and learning: As its Q Comp focus, the school has determined all students in grades nine through 12 will meet or exceed the fall reading comprehension Northwest Evaluation Association Measures of Academic Progress (NWEA MAP) assessment goals for typical growth during the 2006-2007 school year, specifically in the area of evaluative comprehension. Target growth on the NWEA MAP will be supplied based on national norms in the spring of 2007. As a part of determining this goal and setting measurable objectives for it, the school has analyzed disaggregated student data and determined the following targets for each grade level:
• Grade nine students will take the NWEA MAP in the fall and spring and work to the goal of scoring a 225
• Grade ten students will take the NWEA MAP in the fall and spring and work to the goal of scoring a 230
• Grade 11 and 12 students will continue to take the NWEA MAP until proficiency (a score of 230) is reached
Performance pay: A teacher’s compensation will be based on the following factors:
1. 40% ($1,000) based on successful evaluations. Successful evaluations will be demonstrated by receiving a proficient or better score on all three evaluation rubrics which were based on research and POLSR. The POLSR will include detailed data points on competencies showing both thinking maps and NWEA strategies.
2. 40% ($1,000) based on student academic progress with individual students meeting their individual goal for NWEA growth from fall to spring in the goal area of evaluative comprehension. If a student has already achieved proficient on the NWEA, the ten NWEA strategies will be monitored for reading skill gains.
• This will be prorated in the following manner:
• 100% for 21-25 students achieving the goal
• 80% for 16-20 students achieving the goal
• 60% for 11-15 students achieving the goal
• 40% for six to ten students achieving the goal
• 20% for one to five students achieving the goal
3. 20% ($500) based on school-wide gains as determined in component two. This amount will also be prorated in the same breakdown as mentioned above based on an averaging of the individual student gains pay received by each teacher.
Objective and comprehensive teacher evaluation system based on the educational improvement plan, the staff development plan, and multiple evaluations of a teacher’s performance conducted by a locally selected and trained evaluation team that includes classroom observations of instructional practice. Each learning manager will be evaluated three times per year by the evaluation team of the school director, lead learning manager and the dean of students using the evaluation tool, POLSR, designed by the school’s Q Comp team. This tool will incorporate the best practices of online learning in Minnesota and across the nation.
The observation process will follow a three step protocol. This protocol will include a pre-observation conference, an observation and post-observation conference with each component including the following requirements:
• The pre-observation conference will include completing of a short inquiry document by the learning manager in order to allow the evaluation team to better understand from the teacher’s point of view their strengths and areas where improvement is needed. The document will also allow the evaluator to focus on areas where the learning manager is requesting feedback to begin the evaluation process.
• During the observation/evaluation a simple format with two columns will be utilized. The columns will include criteria from POLSR on one side and a scoring column on the other side for marking scores and comments. Evaluations for learning managers will take place in lab and also on the virtual site while teaching courses.
• The post-observation conference will be a dialogue with the learning manager being observed about how they think the observation went and what their strengths and challenges are. Then the evaluator will share their thoughts about how the observation went including their write-up and scores. Both people will share and sign the document. The document will then be kept by the director of the school.
Alternative professional pay schedule: Performance pay totaling $2,500 will be awarded as discussed in component three for the achievement of school-wide student gains and measures of student achievement and for three objective teacher evaluations with scores of proficient or higher. Performance pay will not be awarded as part of the salary but will be awarded as part of a stipend at the end of the year for staff who meet all Q Comp requirements. Nothing will be added to the base pay at this time. Also nothing will be added to next year’s salaries; instead, an individual stipend will be included in the Q Comp process.
“This funding will provide professional development and additional training for teachers and we are excited that Wolf Creek is the first online high school in the state to receive Q comp funds,” said Director Tracy Quarnstrom.
TRIO Wolf Creek Distance Learning has 110 students and 7 staff members.
TRIO Wolf Creek Distance Learning is the tenth charter school to be approved for the Q Comp program behind 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, Emily and El Colegio.
School districts that began implementing the Q Comp program during the 2005-06 school year:
• Minneapolis
• Hopkins
• St. Francis
• Mounds View
• St. Cloud
• Alexandria
• Fridley
• La Crescent-Hokah
• Marshall
School districts that began implementing Q Comp 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 Valley
• North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale
• Clearbrook-Gonvick
• Proctor
• Burnsville
• St. Anthony-New Brighton
• Minnetonka
• Centennial
• Delano
• Pine River-Backus
• South Washington County
• South St. Paul
Approximately 134 other 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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