Texas TAP System

TASPA July 2012

The System for Teacher and Student Advancement is a comprehensive,

research-based school improvement model that seeks to advance teacher

instruction and the achievement of their students.

What is TAP?

Texas TAP Partners

Four Key Elements of Success

TAP Model • Provides time during

the school day for teachers to help one another to learn about and use effective teaching practices in their classrooms.

• Provides the structure to effectively implement curriculum and doesn’t act as an “add on”.

Traditional Model • Teacher position only • All teachers essentially

have the same qualifications, responsibilities, authority and are assessed in the same way

• Principals are there to provide support, impose discipline and assess teacher effectiveness.

TAP Model • Allows for advancement

while allowing the teacher to remain in the classroom: - Career Teacher - Mentor Teacher - Master Teacher

• Each step on the career path requires increased skills and knowledge and offers additional authority, responsibility and compensation

• Mentor and master teachers become part of the TAP Leadership Team led by the principal.

Multiple Career Paths

Ongoing Applied Professional Growth

Traditional Model • Individual teachers go to

selected training sessions and try to implement new practices on their own.

TAP Model • Provides time during

the school day for teachers to help one another to learn about and use effective teaching practices in their classrooms.

• Provides the structure to effectively implement curriculum and doesn’t act as an “add on”.

TAP Steps for Effective Learning

Identify the problem

or need

Obtain new teacher

learning, aligned to student need and formatted for classroom applications

Develop the new

learning with support in the

classroom

Apply the new

learning to the classroom

Evaluate the impact on student

performance

Evidence includes student assessment (post-test) aligned with data analysis & the new teaching strategies

Using credible sources Proven application showing student growth

Development through demonstration, modeling, practice, team-teaching, and peer coaching with follow-up analysis of student work

Evidence through observation, peer coaching & self-reflection applied to student work as a formative assessment

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5

Evidence of need (using pre-test) is clear, specific, high quality & measurable in student outcomes and addresses student content learning with links to teacher strategies and the rubric

Instructionally Focused Accountability

Traditional Model • Uses evaluation standards that

are often unclear or inadequate.

• Teacher evaluations are usually infrequent and provide little follow-up help and then only for problems, never for growth.

• Rarely are rewards linked to how well a teacher does on the evaluations.

TAP Model • Uses clear comprehensive

teaching standards that all teachers are trained to meet.

• Ongoing classroom support and coaching is provided to all teachers for improvement, not just for remediation.

• Good evaluations are rewarded financially.

• TAP evaluations ensure that all teachers have the opportunity to grow and become better instructors so that their students will achieve more.

Instructionally Focused Accountability: Skills, Knowledge, & Responsibilities

Implementing Instruction Standards and Objectives

Motivating Students Presenting Instructional Content

Lesson Structure and Pacing Activities and Materials

Questioning Academic Feedback Grouping Students

Content Implementation Teacher Knowledge of Students

Thinking Problem Solving Responsibilities

Staff Development Instructional Supervision School Responsibilities Reflecting on Teaching

Learning Environment Managing Student Behavior

Expectations Environment

Respectful Culture

Planning Instruction Instructional Plans

Student Work Assessment

Rubric Example

Exemplary (5) • All lessons start promptly. • The lesson’s structure is

coherent, with a beginning, middle, end, and time for reflection.

• Pacing is brisk, and provides many opportunities for individual students who progress at different learning rates.

• Routines for distributing materials are seamless.

• No instructional time is lost during transitions.

Proficient (3) • Most lessons start

promptly. • The lesson’s structure is

coherent, with a beginning, middle, and end.

• Pacing is appropriate, and sometimes provides opportunities for students who progress at different learning rates.

• Routines for distributing materials are efficient.

• Little instructional time is lost during transitions.

Unsatisfactory (1) • Lessons are not started

promptly. • The lesson has a

structure, but may be missing closure or introductory elements.

• Pacing is appropriate for less than half of the students, and rarely provides opportunities for students who progress at different learning rates.

• Routines for distributing materials are inefficient.

• Considerable time is lost during transitions.

Lesson Structure and Pacing

Performance-Based Compensation

Traditional Model

• Compensation is based on years on the job and training credits/units accumulated and ignores individual performance and effort

TAP Model • Compensation is given for

taking on increased responsibility and authority

• Salary augmentations for mentor and master positions

• Bonus awards are earned based on performance:

- 50% skills, knowledge and responsibility

- 30% classroom-level value-added achievement gains

- 20% school-level value-added achievement gains

• TAP salary enhancements are all over and above traditional salary schedule.

How is Performance Measured with TAP?

TEACHERS 50%

STUDENTS 50%

How is TEACHER Performance Measured?

TEXT Teacher Skills, Knowledge and Responsibilities

(SKR)

50%

Determined by evaluations with

TAP Rubrics

How is STUDENT Performance Measured?

Classroom Achievement

4th-8th Gr. Reading & Math EOC’s: Eng I, Alg I, Bio, W. Geo

30%

School-wide Achievement

50%

Determined by value-

added measures

using TAKS/ STAAR

School-wide Achievement

20%

Determined by value-

added measures

using TAKS/ STAAR

OR

What is Value Added? • Value added is the statistical

method that helps educators measure the impact schools make on students’ academic progress from year to year.

• Value-added scores can be

calculated for teacher and school impact on a student’s growth.

Why Measure Growth?

TEXT

Consider the example of Johnny and Suzy:

• Suzy is scoring below the state performance standard.

• Johnny is scoring above the state performance standard.

Current Texas TAP Districts Dallas ISD

Fort Worth ISD Grand Prairie ISD Boys Ranch ISD Richardson ISD Lancaster ISD

Athens ISD Bryan ISD

Hearne ISD New Caney ISD Monte Alto ISD Somerset ISD Southside ISD

Lytle ISD Leggett ISD

Texas TAP System Student Achievement

Results

Num

ber o

f Sch

ools

Texas TAP System

School-Level Value-Added Scores 2010-11 School Year

Value-Added Score

Met expected

growth levels

1 SD above expected

growth levels

2 SD above expected

growth levels

1 SD below expected

growth levels

2 SD below expected

growth levels

4 3

11

7

23

0

5

10

15

20

25

1 2 3 4 5

Texas TAP System State Accountability Ratings

Academically Unacceptable

Academically Acceptable

Recognized

Exemplary

Year Priorto TAP

1 Yearafter TAP

2 Yearsafter TAP

3 Yearsafter TAP

4 Yearsafter TAP

5 Yearsafter TAP

n=28 n=31 n=27 n=8 n=5 n=3

Texas TAP Teacher Retention Rate From 2009-10

91%

Texas TAP System State-Level Team

Assistant Director Stephanie Mosqueda

Principal Leadership

Jodie Wymore

TAP Regional Coordinators Sherry Posey Tami Jenkins

Jeanifer Caldwell

Executive Master Teachers Jodi Leckbee

Elizabeth Woodall LaToya Dansby

Sara Borchgardt Dedra Collins

Nicole Bevilacqua

Executive Director Tammy Kreuz, Ph.D.

Grants and Business Staff Monica Sena-Martinez

Jessica Navarro Patsy Charles

Communications Manager

Keri McDonald

Special Projects Lauren Anshutz Jillian Lalanne

Administrative Staff Susen Penver Candice Carr

Danica Velarde

For More Information Contact: Tammy Kreuz, Ph.D.

tkreuz@texastapsystem.org