Quality Review Record BookQuality Review Record Book 5 Pre-review Preparation (continued) Document...

Quality Review

Record Book

2014-15

Carmen Fariña, Chancellor

Phil Weinberg, Deputy Chancellor for Teaching and Learning

Carolyn Yaffe, Deputy Senior Executive Director, Office Policy and Evaluation

[email protected]

School Name

DBN

Date of review

Reviewer(s)

Office of School Quality

Division of Teaching and Learning

mailto:[email protected]

Table of Contents

Section Page

Introduction 3

Pre-Review Preparation 4

First Contact with Principal & Site Schedule 7

Meeting with the Leadership 9

Instructional Core (1.1, 1.2, 2.2) 9

School Culture (1.4, 3.4) 17

Systems for Improvement (1.3, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1) 22

Meeting with Teacher Teams 34

Meeting with Students: Small Group 42

Meeting with Students: Large Group 45

Meeting with Parents 49

Pre- Classroom Visits: Discussion with Teachers 52

Classroom Visits 54

Additional Evidence 79

Debrief: Mid-day Suggested Protocol 80

Debrief: End of Day Suggested Protocol 82

Feedback Conference 84

Appendix A: Guidance for Review of Curricular Documents 88

Quality Review Record Book 3

Introduction

The 2014-15 Quality Review Record Book is used by reviewers to document findings and evidence gathered throughout the review process. Completed Record Books may also play an important role during the quality assurance and/or appeal process following a school visit. Reviewers are expected to record:

Pre-review key questions and observations, including evaluative summary comments about pre-review materials

Alignment and/or contradiction of evidence from multiple sources Sources of evidence to support conclusions A summary of evidence to be included in the report Evidence of impact of implemented practices/decisions on the school community

(student, teacher, school leaders, etc.) What the school does well in the form of an the Area of Celebration (AoC), an Area

of Focus (AoF) and a copy of the preliminary feedback document delivered to the school

Responses from school leadership and/or network support members during feedback meetings

Please ensure that information is organized and legible as it may be considered during the quality assurance and/or appeal process. This version of the Record Book includes sample questions as guidance for reviewers to begin gathering evidence for each sub-indicator of the Quality Review rubric. These questions are not intended to be comprehensive; reviewers are expected to ask additional questions as appropriate during the Quality Review process. Reviewers should refer to the Guidance for Completing the Record Book section in the 2014-15 Reviewer’s Handbook for additional guidance around how to use and complete the Record Book. All reviewers must maintain completed Record Books on file for up to one year after completing their second draft report, and submit it to the Office of School Quality upon request.


Pre-Review Preparation (Optional)

As you analyze data prior to the review, please record the key issues and points of interest (relating specifically to the Quality Review criteria) that will determine your areas of focus for this review. The following documents may be reviewed and analyzed prior to each visit to help in creating data trails: The previous Quality Review Report, the School Survey, CEP, school demographics, the School Self-Evaluation, and any other information, including the initial phone call with the school.

Document Reviewed E.g., SSEF

Data Trail

E.g., Teachers’ use common planning time to analyze student work and develop unit plans.

Question(s) E.g., Please describe your expectations for structured collaborations such as teacher teams. What is the intended and real impact of their work on instruction and student outcomes?

Who/When (People and/or

venues for gathering evidence) E.g., Principal and leadership (AP, teacher team leaders), teachers; Teacher team mtgs., Principal mtg.

Related Quality Indicator(s) E.g.,2.2, 4.2


Pre-review Preparation (continued) Document Reviewed E.g., SSEF

Data Trail





Related Quality Indicator(s) E.g., 2.2, 4.2


First Contact with Principal

It is expected that the reviewer will contact the principal at least 10 days before the first day of the site visit. The reviewer has the option of contacting the principal either via email or phone. The following should be addressed during the initial communication:

1. The reviewer introduces him/herself, providing the principal with a brief summary of pedagogical/reviewer experience.

2. The reviewer asks a few clarifying questions regarding the content of the school’s SSEF. Reviewer can request additional information such as organizational chart and class/prep schedule, ifs/he does not already have it.

3. The reviewer and principal establish site visit schedule (not inclusive of selection of specific classes or students, etc.), and principal commits to emailing reviewer a final version of the schedule and prep schedule.

4. The reviewer answers the principal’s questions regarding process and protocols, and refers the principal to the Quality Review Principal’s Guide.

5. The reviewer suggests a time for a follow-up call/contact with principal to confirm final details of visit.

Site Schedule

The chart below indicates required and optional events at each review. Please make scheduling decisions and considerations accordingly. The record book includes note-taking sections for documenting evidence gathered from the following meetings, class visitations and other activities:

Required Events for All Reviews Optional Events

At reviewer’s discretion, in consultation with principal

Meetings with principal

Two teacher team meetings

Student group meeting

Parent meeting, exclusive of Parent Coordinator

Classroom Visits* 7-9 in schools with <1,500 students 12-14 in D75 schools and schools with

1,500+ students

Document Review

Reviewer Reflection time

Two principal debrief sessions, mid-day and end of day

Feedback conference

Site tour

Observation of the end of the school day (dismissal)

Observation of extended day/after school activities

Additional teacher team meetings

*The reviewer and principal may schedule opportunities for conversations to occur between classroom teachers and the reviewer prior to the actual classroom visits. The pre-visit teacher-reviewer exchange is to provide context for the classroom visits. It is expected that reviewers will visit classrooms with a school leader and debrief each visit for a few minutes. The first set of classrooms (4-6) is selected by the reviewer and the second set (2-3) is selected by the principal.

First Contact with Principal & Site Schedule


Pre-review communication(s) with principal- Notes


Meeting with Leadership – Instructional Core To what extent do school leaders and faculty regularly:

1.1* Ensure engaging, rigorous, and coherent curricula in all subjects, accessible for a variety of learners and aligned

to Common Core Learning Standards and/or content standards?

1.1 a) School leaders and faculty ensure that curricula are aligned to CCLS and/or content standards, integrate the

instructional shifts, and make purposeful decisions to build coherence and promote college and career readiness for all

students

What curricula are you using in each subject area and grade level and how did you arrive at those choices? What key decisions have you made to support your faculty in implementing CCLS-aligned curricula? How do

those decisions take into consideration the needs of students and teachers? What is your school’s approach to integrating the instructional shifts and college and career readiness skills? How have you leveraged capacity in your school to engage in the curricular implementation work this year? What adjustments have you made to the curricular materials you are using to build coherence?

Reviewer’s questions/data trails: School response:

1.1 b) Curricula and academic tasks consistently emphasize rigorous habits and higher-order skills across grades and

subjects and for ELLs and SWDs

What is your school’s approach to promoting higher order thinking skills across grades/subjects? What processes do you have in place to ensure vertical and horizontal curriculum alignment and coherence?

Describe a typical school project or classroom activity designed to promote thinking skills for ALL students across grade levels.

What specific aspects of the curricula and academic tasks ensure higher-level thinking for ELLs and SWDs? Reviewer’s questions/data trails: School response:


1.1 c) Curricula and academic tasks are planned and refined using student work and data so that a diversity of learners,

including ELLs and SWDs, have access to the curricula and tasks and are cognitively engaged

What structures and resources do you provide so that teachers are able to refine curriculum materials to ensure that all learners have access to the content and learning activities?

Describe how student work and data is used to inform the adjustments to units of instruction to challenge and engage a diversity of learners.

Give an example of the impact of this process using a specific unit/task. Reviewer’s questions/data trails:

School response:

1.1 Additional Notes/Evidence


Review of Curricular Documents

Use this space to record trends gathered from your review of curricular documents. See 2014-15 Guidance for Review of Curricular Documents in Appendix A.



1.2* Develop teacher pedagogy from a coherent set of beliefs about how students learn best that is informed by the

instructional shifts and Danielson Framework for Teaching, aligned to the curricula, engaging, and meets the needs of all learners so that all students produce meaningful work products?

1.2 a) Across classrooms, teaching practices are aligned to the curricula and reflect an articulated set of beliefs about how students learn best that is informed by the Danielson Framework for Teaching and the instructional shifts

What are the school’s core beliefs about student learning and how are those beliefs reflected across classrooms?

Looking at the curriculum, academic tasks, student work and going into classrooms, what common pedagogical approaches and strategies will I see that reflect your common beliefs?

Provide an example of how teaching strategies align to the curricula and your beliefs as well as to the Danielson Framework for Teaching.


1.2 b) Across classrooms, teaching strategies (including questioning, scaffolds in English and/or native language where appropriate, and routines) consistently provide multiple entry points into the curricula so that all learners, including ELLs and SWDs, are engaged in appropriately challenging tasks and demonstrate higher-order thinking skills in student work products

What are some key instructional strategies you have been promoting across classrooms? Please describe an example of how your teachers use questioning, scaffolds or other routines to engage all

learners. Reviewer’s questions/data trails: School response:


1.2 c) Across classrooms, student work products and discussions reflect high levels of student thinking and participation

Provide an example of how student work products and discussion demonstrate thinking, participation and ownership across classrooms.

What processes do you have in place to support teachers in analyzing student work and making effective instructional modifications?

How do you build teacher capacity to promote rigorous high level discussions and tasks? Reviewer’s questions/data trails:

School response:




2.2* Align assessments to curricula, use on-going assessment and grading practices, and analyze information on

student learning outcomes to adjust instructional decisions at the team and classroom levels?

2.2 a) Across classrooms, teachers use or create assessments, rubrics and grading policies that are aligned with the school’s key standards and curricula, thus providing actionable feedback to students and teachers regarding student achievement

What key decisions have you made about assessments for this year and how do assessment strategies align to your instructional goals?

What are some examples of what assessment data has revealed? How have you strategically used this data to make effective adjustments?

What information do your assessments provide and how is it used to provide feedback to students and teachers?

How have you used assessment results to drive adjustments to curricula and instruction? What is the school’s grading policy and how is it aligned with the use of assessment?


2.2 b) The school uses common assessments to determine student progress toward goals across grades and subject areas

and the results are used to adjust curriculum and instruction

How do you ensure that common assessments are aligned to instructional goals? How do you check for student growth toward your school goals? How do you use common assessments to determine student progress? How do you ensure that teachers effectively adjust curriculum and instruction based on common assessment

results? What classroom-level data is used to determine individual student needs and progress?



2.2 c) Across classrooms, teachers’ assessment practices consistently reflect the use of ongoing checks for understanding

and student self- assessment so that teachers make effective adjustments to meet all students’ learning needs

How are teachers using the results of checks for understanding and self-assessment to adjust instruction? Give an example. What is the impact of this process to date?

What strategies or tools do your teachers utilize to adjust their instruction to meet all students’ learning needs?

How do teachers check for understanding? How do they create structures for students to self-asses and reflect on their progress? What is the impact of such assessments?

Reviewer’s questions/data trails:

School response:



Reflection page- Instructional Core

Use this page to surface preliminary strengths and development areas related to the school’s instructional core, based on the interview with school leadership. Include evidence relating to 1.1, 1.2, and 2.2

Strengths/Evidence of Impact Development Areas


Meeting with Leadership – School Culture To what extent do school leaders and faculty regularly:

1.4 Maintain a culture of mutual trust and positive attitudes that support the academic and personal growth of students and

adults? 1.4 a) The school’s approach to culture building, discipline and social- emotional support results in a safe environment and inclusive

culture that is conducive to student and adult learning; students and adults treat each other respectfully and student voice is welcome and valued

How do you build a safe and inclusive school culture? What key strategies have you implemented for discipline and social-emotional support?

In what ways do you promote student voice? Give an example of student involvement in decision making. Reviewer’s questions/data trails: School response:

1.4 b) Structures are in place to ensure that each student is known well by at least one adult who helps to coordinate attendance, social-emotional learning, child/youth development services and guidance/advisement supports that align with student learning needs

How have you organized so that student services are well-coordinated and align to students’ needs? Can you give an example of how these services impact student growth?

What structures are in place to ensure that students’ needs are known and addressed?

How has the school coordinated a student support system that addresses attendance, social-emotional learning and guidance/advisement?

How have these systems improved the academic and personal growth of the students in your school? Can you show evidence?



1.4 c) The school community aligns professional development, family outreach, and student learning experiences and supports to promote the adoption of effective academic and personal behaviors

How have you built staff capacity to meet the social emotional needs of students in and out of the classroom? How do you support your teachers through PD?

What is the school’s focus on promoting effective academic and personal behaviors-for students and adults? What does family outreach focused on the needs of students look and sound like?


School response:



Meeting with Leadership – School Culture To what extent do school leaders and faculty regularly:

3.4* Establish a culture for learning that communicates high expectations to staff, students and families, and provide

supports to achieve them?

3.4 a) School leaders consistently communicate high expectations (professionalism, instruction, communication and other elements of the Danielson Framework for Teaching) to the entire staff and provide training and have a system of accountability for those expectations

How have you communicated the expectations for teaching and learning to the staff? What professional development do you have in place to support the expectations of the Danielson Framework

for Teaching? How do you hold staff accountable for those expectations?


3.4 b) School leaders and staff consistently communicate expectations that are connected to a path for college and career readiness and offer ongoing feedback to help families understand student progress toward those expectations

What do practices connected to college and career readiness look and sound like across classrooms? How do you keep families informed of their children’s progress towards those expectations? Can you identify one or two high leverage college and career readiness practices you are currently

implementing? How do those practices impact student progress? Reviewer’s questions/data trails: School response:


3.4 c) Teacher teams and staff establish a culture for learning that consistently communicates high expectations for all students and offer ongoing and detailed feedback and guidance/advisement supports that prepare students for the next level

How do you ensure that teachers provide ongoing feedback to students regarding their progress? How does the school provide guidance/advisement and ongoing feedback to students in support of preparing

them for the next level? What does the articulation process look/sound like for the next grade level (elementary, middle, high school)?


School response:



Reflection Page- School Culture

Use this page to surface preliminary strengths and development areas for the school’s culture, based on the interview with school leadership. Include evidence relating to 1.4 and 3.4.



Meeting with Leadership – Systems for Improvement

To what extent do school leaders and faculty regularly:

1.3 Make strategic organizational decisions to support the school’s instructional goals and meet student learning needs

as evidenced by meaningful student work products?

1.3 a) The use of resources (e.g., budget, space, technology, coaches, partnerships) and other organizational decisions are aligned to and support the school’s instructional goals, as evident in meaningful student work products

How do your budgetary decisions reflect your school’s values and instructional goals/needs? Can you provide a couple of key examples?

Tell me about how you use your resources to support your instructional goals? (Targeting alignment of resources to instructional goals; CEP goals and action plan pages, technology plan or description of technology vision)

How have you gotten your faculty on the same page about the value and effective use of teacher meeting time?


1.3 b) The use of staff and student time is structured such that teams meet regularly (at least weekly) and effectively; teachers’ professional responsibilities are aligned with the school’s instructional goals with a conscious effort to focus teacher time

on instructional work, thus improving instruction and engaging students in challenging academic tasks? How have you structured team meetings to yield instructional improvements? What factors do you consider when creating staff and student schedules? How do you know your decisions are improving instruction and engaging students in challenging academic

tasks? Reviewer’s questions/data trails: School response:


1.3 c) Hiring practices, teacher assignments (e.g., teacher total student load, effective teachers placed to close the achievement gap), student program groupings and interventions, including those for ELLs and SWDs, effectively support access to learning opportunities that lead to college and career readiness

How are hiring decisions made? Tell me about some of the recent hires at your school. How did you come to those decisions? In what ways are they are a good match? Why?

How are teacher assignments and student groupings determined? How do teacher share responsibility for student learning goals?

What kinds of student groupings and interventions are in place to meet the needs of ELLs and SWDs and ensure the closing of the achievement gap?


School response:



Meeting with Leadership – Systems for Improvement To what extent do school leaders and faculty regularly:

3.1 Establish a coherent vision of school improvement that is reflected in a short list of focused, data-based goals that

are tracked for progress and are understood and supported by the entire school community?

3.1 a) There is a short list of clear, focused school-level goals and action plans (long-term, annual and interim) apparent in the CEP and other planning documents; those goals are tracked for progress and adjusted to drive efforts to accelerate student learning and foster social-emotional growth

What are your goals this year? How do they connect to your vision for school improvement? How do you ensure that goal-setting and action planning is collaborative? What interim checkpoints have been established to check progress towards these goals? What systems do you have in place to track and adjust student progress toward these goals in order to

accelerate student learning and foster social-emotional growth? From your monitoring of these goals, where are you with attaining them? How do you know?


3.1 b) Goal-setting and effective action planning at the school level, including professional development planning, are informed by a comprehensive, data-driven needs assessment and ongoing data gathering and analysis that improves teacher practice across classrooms

How did you arrive at these goals and action plans? What informed these decisions? What types of data do you gather and analyze to revise action plans? How do you use data analysis results to improve teacher practices and student outcomes across classrooms?

Give an example of this process using a specific goal and action plan? Reviewer’s questions/data trails: School response:


3.1 c) School leaders involve and communicate with the school community, including teachers, families, and age-appropriate students, regarding school improvement plans and decision-making processes

• Who had input into creating these goals? • How do these goals reflect all members of the school community? (SLT participation, needs assessments,

etc.) • In what ways are your school community members—teachers, parents, age-appropriate students-- made

aware and involved in the school’s improvement processes? What school wide structures are established for communicating progress towards benchmarks/goals?


School response:




4.1 Observe teachers using the Danielson Framework for Teaching and the analysis of learning outcomes to elevate

school-wide instructional practices and implement strategies that promote professional growth and reflection, with a special focus on new teachers?

4.1 a) School leaders support the development of teachers, including those new to the profession, with effective feedback and next steps from short, frequent cycles of classroom observation and student work/data

What are the varying needs of different teachers at your school and how have you addressed these needs?

What systems have you put in place for conducting teacher observations? How does student work/data analysis support your feedback?

What strategies/systems do you use to support your teachers? How do you ensure accountability on the support you provide to them?

What are your beliefs about how adults learn best? How do your beliefs drive your teacher feedback cycles?

How do you establish trusting relationships with teachers in order to provide targeted feedback and improve practices?


4.1 b) Feedback to teachers accurately captures strengths, challenges and next steps using the Danielson Framework for Teaching and feedback that articulates clear expectations for teacher practice and supports teacher development

How have you worked with your school community to norm understandings of the Danielson Framework and effective feedback connected to it?

Tell me about two teachers who are at very different levels of practice this year. What type of feedback did they receive and how did it support their development?

How do you assist teachers in knowing their strengths, challenges and next steps for their own professional growth? Please provide some observation documents.



4.1 c) School leaders have an effective system that uses teacher observation data to effectively design and facilitate professional development and are making informed decisions (assignment, tenure, retention) and are developing succession plans connected to teachers, APs, and other staff members

What teaching patterns and trends have you observed and how have you addressed those through goal setting and professional development?

How has teacher observation data informed your assignment of teachers?

What leadership opportunities have you created in your building? What are your succession plans for key leadership roles?


School response:



Review of Observation Reports and Feedback Practices

Use this space to record information gathered from your review of observation documents and feedback practices.



4.2* Engage in structured professional collaborations on teams using an inquiry approach that promotes shared leadership

and focuses on improved student learning?

4.2 a) The majority of teachers are engaged in structured, inquiry-based professional collaborations that promote achievement of school goals and the implementation of the CCLS (including the instructional shifts) and strengthen the instructional capacity of teachers

How have you structured your teacher team meetings to ensure that they are effective and productive?

How do you hold teachers accountable for the implementation of team decisions regarding next steps?

How does teacher team collaboration contribute to the achievement of your school goals? Can you give an example?

How do you know your teachers’ capacity is being strengthened and that this work resulting in school wide instructional coherence?


4.2 b) Teacher teams consistently analyze assessment data and student work for students they share or on whom they are focused, typically resulting in improved teacher practice and progress toward goals for groups of students

How do you hold teachers accountable for the implementation of team decisions regarding next steps?

How do you support teams and build capacity in data-driven inquiry work? How does the work of teacher teams strengthen the instructional capacity of your teachers? Give an example?



4.2 c) Distributed leadership structures are in place so that teachers’ leadership capacity is built and they have a voice in key decisions that affect student learning across the school

How have you built distributive leadership towards ensuring teacher voice in key decisions?

What impact have shared leadership practices yielded thus far? Reviewer’s questions/data trails:

School response:




5.1 Evaluate the quality of school- level decisions, making adjustments as needed to increase the coherence of policies and

practices across the school, with particular attention to the CCLS? 5.1 a) School leaders and faculty have a process in place to regularly evaluate and adjust curricular, instructional and assessment

practices in response to student learning needs and the expectations of the CCLS (evaluation of practices of 1.1,1.2, 2.2)

How do you evaluate and adjust curricular, instructional, and assessment practices? Give an example of a decision made as a result of this practice and its impact.

How do you facilitate revisions to academic tasks and assessments? What types of data do you use?

Give an example of a recent modification to a task/unit and speak to how the revisions support student progress towards CCLS.


5.1 b) School leaders and faculty have a process in place to regularly evaluate the quality of school culture and the ways expectations are developed and shared among school constituents, with a focus on making adjustments to support the expectations of the CCLS (evaluation of practices of 1.4, 3.4)

What data do you collect and analyze on school environment and culture? How often?

Can you give an example of a recent finding and adjustment you made? Reviewer’s questions/data trails: School response:


5.1 c) School leaders and faculty have a process in place to regularly evaluate and adjust the use of organizational resources, the quality of teacher team work and professional development practices, with particular attention to what teachers need to learn to support student mastery of the CCLS (evaluation of practices of 1.3, 4.1, 4.2)

What processes do you have in place to regularly evaluate and adjust teacher team practices? What has been the impact of this process to date?

How do you evaluate your school’s teacher evaluation process? Can you give an example of a recent change you’ve made as a result of this process and its impact on teaching and learning?


School response:



Reflection Page- Systems for Improvement Use this page to surface preliminary strengths and development areas for the school’s systems for improvement, based on the interview with school leadership. Include evidence relating to 1.3, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, and 5.1



Meetings with Teacher Teams The reviewer will meet with teams of teachers. One of the meetings should consist of an observation of a team involved in inquiry that addresses the connection between student work and data and resulting teacher actions including pedagogical or curricular modifications. The other team meeting will be an interview of teachers representing at least two teams. If the UFT Chapter Leader is not present in any of the teacher team meetings, the reviewer will hold a brief meeting (about 15 minutes) with the UFT Representative. The reviewer, in collaboration with the principal, will select the teacher teams that will engage in a dialogue around the impact of collaborative inquiry on practice, sharing of evidence and implications for student learning.. Teachers should be able to discuss how they use data to adjust instructional practices and strategies, plan for meeting student needs, and track student progress. For the subject/grade level teacher team meeting, the reviewer will observe the meeting for 15 -20 minutes and then pose questions to the team regarding what s/he observed and/or ask questions connected to other evidence requiring triangulation. During the other team meeting, the reviewer will conduct an interview with the teachers regarding the instructional core, school culture and use of teacher teams for school improvement. Contingent upon the school’s in-house calendar, the reviewer will opt for one of the following choices in order to minimally disrupt student learning: In collaboration with the principal, reviewers may consider requests for additional teacher team meetings such as a strategic group of teacher leaders and coaches to engage in focused conversations around curricula. Possible topics of conversation include:

The structure of the meetings, including frequency and distributed leadership The team’s work in promoting rigor and cognitive engagement for all students The team’s work in supporting the implementation of Common Core Learning Standards

across classrooms, including the instructional shifts, as outlined in the Citywide Instructional Expectations (CIE)

The impact of inquiry work and data analysis on implementation of the CCLS, professional growth, and ultimately, student outcomes

How the team’s work connects with goals at the school- and student-level and beliefs about how students learn and how progress is measured towards these goals

Pedagogical adjustments and strategies implemented in the classroom based on the team’s work and evidence that these changes impact student learning and engagement

How common data tools, including rubrics and both summative and formative assessments, are used to identify strengths and needs of the school, classes, sub-groups and individual students

How teachers modify and scaffold instruction and adjust curriculum based on common assessments

How the team’s work relates to school survey results (feedback, discipline, PD, etc.) Feedback provided to the team to advance their inquiry work and/or pedagogy Gaps between the team’s current practice and the expectations of the CIE regarding

CCLS work

Additional questions for teacher teams linked to sub-indicators include:

Instructional Core

How does what you are teaching prepare students for college and career? (1.1a) How do you ensure that academic tasks are rigorous for all students including ELLs and

SWDs? (1.1b) Describe your process for adjusting and refining curriculum. (1.1c)


What are your school’s beliefs about how students learn best? How are those beliefs reflected in classrooms? (1.2a)

How do you scaffold instruction to ensure that all students engage in higher order thinking and produce meaningful work products? What practices support that goal consistently across classrooms? (1.2b)

How are your assessments aligned to your instructional goals? (2.2a) Tell me about different groups of students in your classrooms. How do you assess their

performance and/or progress in your class? What have you done with this information? (2.2b)

What classroom-level data is used to determine individual student needs and progress? (2.2c)

School Culture

Describe your school culture regarding both student and adult learning. (1.4a) How are guidance and advisement supports coordinated to support your students’

learning needs? (1.4b) How does your school promote and ensure effective academic and personal behaviours

in students? How do you contribute to that? (1.4c) Are you accountable for communicating and supporting goals and expectations to

students? How do you do this? (3.4a) How do you communicate with parents regarding goals and expectations? How do you

help families understand their children’s progress toward those expectations? (3.4b) What is your role in establishing a culture for learning? How do you prepare students for

the next level? (3.4c)

Systems for Improvement

Are you able to execute the school’s instructional vision? What resources (technology, coaching, materials, space, etc.) does the school provide to help you do so? (1.3a)

How do you know that your work during teacher teams helps meet students’ needs? (1.3b)

How are students grouped for instruction or interventions? Do these groupings allow you to meet their learning needs? (1.3c)

What are the overarching goals for your school this year? (3.1a) What is the connection between your professional development and school goals?

(3.1b) Describe your role in the school improvement process. (3.1 c) Tell me about how school leaders support your development. (4.1a) Give me an example of feedback that you have received from your supervisor based on

the Danielson Framework. How did that feedback impact your practice? (4.1b) What professional development have you received so far this year? How has it impacted

your practice? (4.1c) Describe your team’s inquiry process. (4.2a) Describe the impact of your assessment analyses on teacher practice. How have these

practices impacted student performance and progress for targeted groups of students? (4.2b)

How does the administration empower teachers to make decisions that impact student learning across the school? (4.2c)

How is teacher team work monitored? How are you held accountable for the work that you do here? (5.1a)

How do you provide feedback to school leaders around school culture? Are there structures and systems that allow you to do so? (5.1b)

How are you supported in implementing the Common Core Learning Standards? (5.1b) How do you impact professional development offerings? Are there opportunities to

provide feedback on professional development? (5.1c)


Meeting with Teacher Team - Observation and Q & A

Participants

Name Role

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Teacher Team (grade/department/focus): ________________________________________

How often does the team meet? ____________________________

Agenda: Yes / No

Was the UFT Chapter Leader Present? Yes / No

Documents Reviewed/Presented:

Capture the broad strengths and development areas below at the conclusion of the meeting:

Areas of Celebration

Areas of Focus



Meeting Notes:


Meeting with Teacher Team - Q & A

Participants

Name Role

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.


How often does the team meet? _____________________________

Agenda: Yes / No





Areas of Focus



Meeting notes:


Meeting with Teacher Team (3)- Optional

Participants

Name Role

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.


How often does the team meet? _____________________________

Agenda: Yes / No





Areas of Focus



Meeting notes:


Meeting with Students - Small Group The reviewer selects 4-6 students based on data provided for the review, as well as information in ARIS; students may also be selected from classes observed. This group of students should strategically reflect a range of student needs and performance. Students will be asked to discuss specific pieces of work, notebooks, or portfolios. In questioning, the reviewer should also address how students receive feedback about their work, how they know what their next learning steps are, the use of rubrics and other assessment tools, and how these support their learning. Students who are frequently absent, or those who have significant developmental delays making communication difficult, can certainly be invited but should be considered additional students for the group Reviewer’s questions/data trails: Possible questions for students in the small group include:

Tell me about a typical lesson in one of your classes. (1.2b)

Is work hard/easy? How do you know you are learning? (1.2b)

What are you working on now? How do you know you are successful? (1.2c)

What do you enjoy most about learning here? Least? (1.2c)

Can you give an example of when you had choice in selecting a learning topic or

assignment? (1.2)

Have your teachers worked with you to create goals in each class? How do you know

when you have accomplished a goal? Once you achieve a goal, do you get a new one?

(2.2b)

What do you do when you don’t understand an assignment? (2.2c)

How often do you get feedback from your teachers about your work? Do you get specific

feedback about what you did well and what you need to improve? Does your teacher

follow up to make sure you are making the suggested changes? (2.2c)

Possible questions for students in the small group regarding specific work products include:

Did you have a rubric for this assignment? If so how did you use the rubric as you

worked on the assignment? Do you feel the rubric helped you improve? (2.2a)

What feedback did you get for this assignment (2.2 c)

Capture the broad strengths and development areas below at the conclusion of the small student group meeting:



Areas of Focus


Small Student Group Meeting notes

Student 1:

Student 2:

Student 3:

Student 4:

Additional Students:


Meeting with Students- Large Group

Number of Students: Students new to school:

Grade Levels:

Large Student Group (for schools with more than 1,500 students)

The reviewer selects at least half of the 10-12 students for the large group. This group should include students who are representative of the student population at the school; it should include students across genders, grade levels, and ethnicities at a variety of achievement levels. English language learners and students receiving special education services, including gifted and talented, should also be included. The group may include, if appropriate, a representative from student government and/or Honor Society, and members of school athletic teams, clubs and/or arts organizations. In a discussion with this group, reviewers will assess students’ understanding of and attitude towards schoolwork, in addition to perceptions about school culture. A key goal of the large student group meeting is to assess students’ ability to speak reflectively about what they are learning and areas in which they are developing. Reviewers can refer to the following areas when developing questions for student groups:

Data from the school survey

Assessment results

Evidence gathered from other members of the school community, including administration, parents, and/or teachers

Possible areas for conversation include:

The specific data trends gathered from the school survey (reviewers should personalize these questions according to each school’s survey results)

The rigor and challenge of academic tasks in preparation for higher education

The identification of students’ needs (academic, social-emotional, behavioral) and how they are addressed

The participation in activities and making school level decisions

The understanding of data, grading policies and self-reflection

The goal setting and progress monitoring practices

The communication of expectations and guidance/advisement support

The understanding of academic, behavioral, social emotional progress


Reviewer’s questions/data trails: Capture the broad strengths and development areas below at the conclusion of the large student group meeting.

Possible questions for the large student group include:

Instructional Core:

Describe a typical school project or classroom activity. (1.1 b)

What happens if you don’t know what to do in class? How often does that happen? (1.2b)

What kind of individual help do you get from your teachers? (1.2 b)

Tell me about what classes and learning are like here. Are they interesting? (1.2c)

Do you think you are learning? What types of assignment are you given? (1.2c)

How are you doing in your classes? How do you know? (2.2a)

What do your teachers do with your work, projects or tests? (2.2a)

What happens when you don’t understand something during a lesson? (2.2c)

School Culture:

Do you feel safe at school? Why? (1.4a)

Do you treat teachers with respect? Do they treat you with respect? (1.4a)

Is there an adult in your school who helps you with your academic or social needs? How? (1.4b)

What does the school do to improve student behavior? (1.4c)

How does the school prepare you for college and career? (3.4b)

How do you know that you’re ready for middle school, high school, or college/career? (3.4c)


Areas of Focus


Do the principal and your teachers have clear expectations for how you should behave in class and the school in general? How do you know what the expectations are? Are those expectations enforced? How? (1.4a, 3.4c)

How do your teachers show they know who you are as a student and encourage you to do your best? (1.4b)

Systems for Improvement:

What classes are you taking? Why? (1.3c)

Are students involved in school initiatives/decisions? If so, please provide an example. (3.1c)

What is the vision of the school? What are the school goals? (3.1c)

What is your role in accomplishing the goals and vision of the school? (3.1c)

Do you have a voice in school initiatives? (1.4)

What does your school do really well? What could be better at your school? (1.4, 3.4, 3.1)

Does anyone ask for your opinion about what should be the school’s focus with regards to improving things or keeping things the same? If so, do you feel your opinion is reflected in the school’s plans? (3.1)


Large Student Group Meeting notes:


Meeting with Parents

Ideally, this group would include 8-10 parents representing parents of students at various grade levels in the school. A cross section of parents of general education students, special education students, English language learners, high performing students, and students of varied ethnicities is ideal. Parents new to the school as well as those with a long-standing relationship with the school would add additional balance. A representative from both the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and the School Leadership Team (SLT) must be included. The Parent Coordinator (PC) should not expect to participate in the Parent Meeting.

Participants

Parent’s name Grade(s) of his/her child(ren)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Is the PA/PTA President in attendance? Yes / No

Are any parents members of the SLT? Yes / No

Is the Parent Coordinator in attendance? Yes / No


Capture the broad strengths and development areas below at the conclusion of the Parent Meeting:


Possible areas for conversation include:

Specific data trends gathered from the school survey (reviewers should personalize these questions according to each school’s survey results)

The level of challenge in the curriculum and academic tasks

The level of support provided by the school to help families address and support the academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs of their children

The extent of support provided to families to understand the grading policies, expectations, and tracking of student progress

The vision of the school and what role families play towards attaining the school’s goals Additional questions aligned to indicators:

Do you know what the school’s vision is? School goals? (3.1)

Has the school asked you to be involved in developing its vision and goals? If yes, in what ways? Has the school asked you to be involved in achieving its vision and goals? If yes, in what ways? (3.1)

Do you know what programs and structures the school has implemented, or plans to implement, to accomplish the vision? (3.1)

How do you know your child’s needs/goals/strengths? (3.1)

How do you find out what is going on at school? (3.1)

What opportunities do you have to contribute ideas for change at the school? (3.1)

Do you know how the school monitors and evaluates whether or not the vision and goals are met? (5.1)

How familiar are you with the expectations of the CCLS? How is this information provided to you? (1.1,1.2)

What supports your child’s learning? (1.2)

How do you know what is happening in your child’s classrooms? (1.2)

How do you find out how your child is doing academically in class? (3.4)

Describe the school. (1.4)

What is valued at the school? What could be better? (1.4)


Areas of Focus


Parent Meeting notes:


The purpose of the reviewer speaking briefly with teachers before visiting their classrooms is to learn the context of the classrooms, the intentions for the lessons, and the expected evidence of achievement. Pre-classroom visits may be scheduled prior to the review. If checking-in with all teachers to be visited is not possible, it is incumbent on the reviewer to document the context of and intentions for the lesson through other sources (principal, coach, written lesson plan, etc.). Two guiding prompts for the brief exchange between reviewer and teacher:

What do you hope to accomplish at the end of this lesson?

How will you know you have met your objective?

Classroom #1



Classroom #2



Classroom #3



Pre-Classroom Visits- Discussion with Teachers


Classroom #4



Classroom #5



Classroom #6



Classroom #7




Classroom Visits As a general guideline, the reviewer will visit 7-9 classrooms in schools with fewer than 1500 students. Reviewers will visit approximately 12-14 classrooms in schools with 1500 or more students, multi-site and District 75 schools. All classroom visits, regardless of school size, will be conducted collaboratively with the Principal, Assistant Principal, and/or instructional leader. Each classroom is visited for approximately 15-20 minutes. The visits will provide evidence for Quality Indicators and connect with previously-stated and documented goals and initiatives. The evidence is to be collected using the Classroom Visitation Tool, which has a framework of three parts:

Instruction and engagement (evident in teaching and student learning)

Student work

Assessment for learning (evident in teaching and student learning)

Reviewers use the following lens to examine academic rigor:

Level of rigor of academic tasks (Webb’s DOK and Hess’s Cognitive Rigor Matrix inform this thinking)

Level of rigor of classroom pedagogy

Level of rigor evidenced in student habits and student work


Anecdotal Evidence: Low-Inference Observations

What is the teacher doing? What are the students doing?

Consider the Following: How do the instructional practices align to the school’s beliefs about how students learn best and to the

Danielson Framework for Teaching? (1.2 and 4.1) How is each student being engaged and challenged? (1.1 and 1.2) How are teachers checking for understanding and adjusting instruction accordingly? (2.2 and 1.2)

Classroom Visitation Tool

Date: Teacher:

Grade (Circle) P-K K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Subject, time, # students Subject: Time: # of students:

Type of class ( ) Gen Ed. ( ) Spec. Ed. ( ) ICT ( ) ELL/ESL ( ) Other:

Lesson portion viewed (Circle) Beginning Middle End

Teaching Experience This is the teacher’s __________ year of teaching.


Highlights and Promising Practices observed, including the arts and technology:

Notes from debrief with administrator: You may pose and consider the following questions during the debrief: What is the evidence of school-wide beliefs?

What are the strengths and areas of improvement for the lesson? What feedback would you give this teacher? How have you been supporting this teacher?

Summary Notes and Questions:

Other Classroom Noticings (i.e., student work, teacher/student comments, etc.)



What is the teacher doing? What are the students doing?




Date: Teacher:

Grade (Circle) P-K K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12







What is the teacher doing?

What are the students doing?




Date: Teacher:

Grade (Circle) P-K K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12












Date: Teacher:

Grade (Circle) P-K K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12






Additional Evidence


Debrief: Suggested Mid-day Protocol Suggested Mid-day Debrief: Protocol (15 minutes) This meeting should consist of the reviewer and the principal. The assistant principal may be present at this meeting at the discretion of the principal. It is helpful if this group is defined by the principal and communicated to the reviewer prior to the start of the review.

The purpose of this meeting is to discuss noticings from classroom visits and the team meeting. This short period should be used to establish the lens for the rest of the classroom visits and discuss the principal’s selections for the afternoon. In addition, the reviewer may take this opportunity to request certain documents pertinent to the review process to support ratings at the end of the day. A sample protocol is suggested below and may be used during the mid-day debrief.

Reviewer begins by providing a brief summary of the suggested 4-step protocol used for this debrief. (~3 minutes)

Step 1: Reviewer shares with school leadership what s/he heard and saw during the first portion of the day: the specific low-inference data statements of both Areas of Celebration and Areas of Focus. Reviewers can frame the discussion using: “Today I saw/heard…” (~3 minutes) Step 2: School leadership asks clarifying questions and/or responds by confirming data statements and/or offering additional data/information. Note: The reviewer may need to ask the school leadership to remain “low on the ladder of inference”, which means keeping the discussion and comments based on evidence as much as possible before making interpretations of what was seen and heard during the day. (~3 minutes) Step 3: The reviewer may request additional documents to support the process and synthesis of information and findings. (~3 minutes) Step 4: Based on feedback provided by the reviewer, the principal discusses their classroom selections and confirms schedule for the second portion of the review. (~3 minutes)


Evaluation of evidence and feedback to the principal:

Response from the principal and key points for follow-up:


Suggested Final Debrief Protocol Suggested Final Debrief Protocol (15 minutes) The reviewer, principal, and 2-3 key cabinet/leadership members can be present at this meeting. It can remain between reviewer and principal at the discretion of the principal. It is helpful if this group is defined by the principal and communicated to the reviewer prior to the start of the review. Regardless of the number of participants, the dialogue is meant to be primarily between the principal and the reviewer. Reviewer begins by providing a brief summary of the 4-step protocol used for this debrief. (~3 minutes)

Step 1: Reviewer shares with school leadership what s/he heard and saw during the day: the specific low-inference data statements of Areas of Celebration and Areas of Focus. “Today I saw/heard… “(~3 minutes) Step 2: School leadership asks clarifying questions and/or responds by confirming data statements and/or offering additional data/information. Note: The reviewer may need to ask the school leadership to remain “low on the ladder of inference”, which means keeping the discussion and comments based on evidence as much as possible before making interpretations of what was seen and heard during the day. (~3 minutes) Step 3: Reviewer responds with an evaluative synthesis, based on low-inference statements and the school leadership’s responses and comments. The synthesis leads to a description of areas in which more evidence is needed. (~3 minutes) Step 4: Reviewer informs leadership that they will have reflection time to review the gathered evidence in preparation for the Final Feedback Conference. (~3 minutes)


Evaluation of evidence and feedback to the principal:

Response from the principal and key points for follow-up:


Feedback Conference

Feedback Conference (20-30 minutes)

At the end of the school visit, the reviewer takes time to reflect and finalize the ratings on individual formally assessed indicators. These ratings are based on the review of documentation and analysis of the first-hand evidence gathered during the site visit. The reviewer summarizes the Areas for Celebration (AoC) and Areas for Focus (AoF) for the school in the Record Book as well as the additional findings. Throughout the review process, ongoing conversations with the principal will ensure that the ratings are not a surprise. Guidance for preparation of the Final Feedback Conference

Assign sub-indicator ratings to determine the overall rating for each indicator

Determine one Area of Celebration (AoC) and one Area of Focus (AoF) from the five formally assessed indicators that will be highlighted and shared publicly (highest rated/lowest rated, levers for change, patterns of effective practices, gaps, or inconsistencies across classrooms or grades).

Complete the Preliminary Ratings Form

Prepare notes that will inform verbal feedback; low and mid-inference evidence that supports the ratings for each of the five indicators

In addition to the above, please note that all reviewers are encouraged to call an OSQ Director if they would like support regarding preliminary ratings and/or handling a potentially difficult situation. Additionally, reviewers must do the following before the feedback conference:

New reviewers must call in for their first review to discuss their final ratings

All reviewers must call in to discuss their findings if the school is receiving ratings of Underdeveloped or Well Developed in all five indicators.

Guidance for the Selection of Area of Celebration and Area of Focus

When selecting an Area of Celebration please consider the following:

Is there one indicator out of the five formally assessed indicators that stands out as the highest rated?

If there is no one indicator out of the five formally assessed indicators that is rated highest: o Is there an area among the highest rated indicators which according to the principal

and constituents, is an area of exceptional progress or positive change for the school?

o Is there an area that validates what the principal has shared in terms of the school’s strengths and accomplishments?

o Is there an area which you have observed that has been a vital lever to accelerating the school’s improvement?

o Is there an area which has resulted in the school improving student achievement?


Selecting the Area of Focus (AoF)

To determine an Area of Focus, please consider the following:

Is there one indicator out of the five formally assessed indicators that stands out as the lowest rated?

If there is no one indicator out of the five formally assessed indicators that is rated lowest: o Is there an indicator that stands out among the lowest rated that, according to the

principal and constituents, is an area of lagging progress or needed change for the school?

o Is there an area that validates what the principal has shared in terms of the school’s next steps?

Is there an area that is a vital lever to accelerate the school’s improvement?

*There should be no contradictions between the ratings and the indicators selected as AoCs and AoFs.

Feedback Conference Presentation/Protocol

The reviewer, principal, network leader (or other network team representative), and 2-3 other key cabinet/leadership members can be present at this meeting. The meeting can remain between just the reviewer, principal, and network leader at the discretion of the principal. If the reviewer and/or principal anticipate that the Feedback Conference will be a difficult conversation, it is suggested that the reviewer, principal, and network leader gather briefly before the Final Feedback Conference to discuss keeping the meeting between just the three of them. The reviewer, as facilitator of this meeting, begins the session by thanking the community and leadership and gaining agreement on the norms for this exchange:

Maintain respectful dialogue

Focus on evidence and avoid assumptions

Build collaborative understanding

Avoid aggressive or defensive language

The reviewer then describes the feedback protocol. Please note that there will be no written script to read aloud. (~3 minutes)

Feedback Conference Protocol

Step 1: Starting with the AoC, the reviewer reads the description of the Quality Indicator exactly as it appears in the QR rubric. Then s/he shares observed trends and supporting evidence to substantiate the rating. Next, the reviewer shares the rating s/he has determined for this indicator. (Ratings for individual sub-indicators that helped determine that indicator’s ratings are not shared.) (~3 minutes) After the AoC, the reviewer repeats this process for each of the three indicators that fall under Additional Findings, and ends with the AoF. (~10 minutes) Step 2: The reviewer provides the participants with a copy of the Preliminary Ratings Form which contains the provisional rating of each indicator and shows the chosen AoC and AoF. (~2 minutes)


Step 3: The principal responds to the supporting evidence and ratings and selected Area of Celebration and Area of Focus. (~6 minutes) Step 4: The reviewer invites the Network Leader (or representative) and other participants to respond if they desire. (~2 minutes) Step 5: The reviewer may then invite the network leader (or representative) and other participants to offer evidence they believe was not taken into consideration in the various indicator ratings. The reviewer states that the expectation is that the current evaluation will stand, and that all feedback will be documented in the Record Book for quality assurance purposes. (~2 minutes) Step 6: The reviewer ends the meeting; the reviewer acknowledges commentary regarding school and network feedback, and then departs. (~2 minutes)

Reviewers should provide verbal feedback prior to distributing the Preliminary Ratings Form. Reviewers should use the Feedback Conference section in the Record Book to record the main points about the feedback conference, including any notable agreement or disagreement among stakeholders. If there are any anticipated concerns or questions about the preliminary feedback session, reviewers should contact the Office of School Quality.

After the Review

Reviewers should note anything relevant that was said or done during the final feedback meeting on the Final Feedback page in the Record Book.

They should also ensure that all sections of the Record Book have been completed according to the standards

Reviewers are reminded to secure the Record Book as soon as the second draft of the school report is submitted to the reader, as it may be needed by the Office of School Quality to respond to issues that arise during the Quality Assurance and/or appeals process. Please note, all Record Books must be maintained for up to one school year.

Response from the principal:


Additional evidence proposed by principal, network team member and/or other participants:


Appendix A: Guidance for Review of Curricular Documents

Curriculum Guidance for Quality Reviews Context: The Quality Review rubric has no stance on what curriculum a school has selected or developed; whether a school has purchased curriculum or is developing its own, the work of the school is ensuring that curricular materials are situated in a thoughtful trajectory of learning over the course of the year and are meeting the needs of students. The assessment of Quality Indicator 1.1 will focus on purposeful decision-making regarding a school’s curriculum implementation process, the effectiveness of planning to meet students’ needs, and the impact on student learning. Examination of Instructional Documents: During the 2014-15 school year, for the purposes of evaluating Quality Indicator 1.1, reviewers and evaluators will request the following instructional/curricular documents:

Lesson/Unit plans* from classroom visitations conducted during the Quality Review or Principal Practice Observation

Culminating tasks that situate the lessons viewed during classroom visits

Student work that is yielded from lesson observed during the review

Prior unit plans, culminating tasks and student work

*Definitions below are from the 2014 Memorandum of Agreement between the DOE and the UFT and should be used in conjunction with this guidance.

Curriculum is defined as:

a) a list of content and topics; b) scope and sequence; and c) a list of what students are expected to know and be able to do after studying each topic.

A “Unit Plan,” also known as a “Curriculum Unit,” means a brief plan, by and for the use of the teacher, describing a related series of lesson plans and shall include: (1) the topic/theme/duration; (2) essential question(s); (3) standard(s); (4) key student learning objectives; (5) sequence of key learning activities; (6) text(s) and materials to be used; and (7) assessment(s). Note: Excerpt from NYCDOE and UFT Standards on Paperwork Reduction I. The Quality Review: Schools are to present only existing curricular and existing school-level documents to contextualize the assessment of all Quality Indicators, especially 1.1, rather than create documents for the sole purpose of the Quality Review. Additionally, evidence can be verbal or observable in the classroom/school environment within existing school processes and will include a review of only those documents used in the normal course of teaching and learning. Reviewers and evaluators will consider the time of the year that the visit takes place and the work underway in each school when they review curricular and other school-level documents.

Office of School Quality

Division of Teaching and Learning

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