Measuring Rural Alaska Teacher Growth

• In Event: Developing Excellent Teachers in Rural and Remote Communities: Challenges and Efforts in Rural Alaska

Abstract

In the U.S. the education conversation is focusing on teacher effectiveness; yet, in many places new teachers are still left on their own to sink or swim. New teachers are often considered less effective than veterans and in fact tend to have lower student achievement (Villar, Strong, Fletcher, 2007). The Alaska Statewide Mentor Project (ASMP) was formed in 2004-05 to provide the support early career teachers (ECTs) need so that every student in Alaska has the benefit of a great teacher. However, measuring new teacher professional growth in rural Alaska school districts within the context of a non-evaluative mentoring program can be tricky. Several key components have been identified by teachers and administrators as essential to ASMP's success: the non-evaluative role of the mentor, the confidentiality between the teacher and mentor, and the regular on-going support provided by the mentor to the teacher. These essentials are based on the foundation of teaching standards, data collection and collaboration. All of these factors were considered when developing a tool to measure teacher effectiveness within ASMP.
A sequential mixed methodology approach was taken to create the tool. The first phase used mentor focus groups and a grounded theory approach to develop the language, categories, and organization. The tool was then refined through continued focus groups with new and returning mentors. The second phase gathered quantifiable data from the mentors to categorize teacher starting point, growth and support groups, and to identify traits that supported the level of growth. Calibration among mentors occurred through ongoing small and large group sessions comparing evidence to teaching standards.
Using teaching standards and data gathered over the first two months of interactions with early career teachers (ECTs), mentors categorize the teachers’ professional starting point “As Expected”, “Above” or “Below Expectations” for a first- or second-year teacher. Growth is the second measurement gathered by again referencing the teaching standards, verified through data gathered throughout the year, and organized and reassessed at the end of the year. Terms such as growing “Leaps and Bounds” or “Very Slowly” were used so that mentors focus on observable practices connected to the standards rather than their own opinion crossing over to job evaluation.
In AY12, 71% of the 320 ECTs in rural districts started "As Expected" (15% above and 13% below). This pattern is similar to those found in the two previous years as well. The results also show that most ECTs are growing professionally at a rate “As Expected”. Those starting “Above Expectations” do have more ECTs with faster growth than those starting “Below Expectations”, but that is not to say that ECTs starting “Below Expectations” cannot grow. In fact, 65% of those ECTs showed growth for that year (As Expected, Above Expectations, and Leaps and Bounds). Results are also disaggregated by demographics and integrated with teacher retention data to understand growth and to measure its connection with the goals of ASMP.

Author

• Barbara Leigh Adams, University of Alaska Fairbanks