WELCOME TO STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The following resources contain useful information for crafting narrative for the SLO Elements. The Gasconade County R-II School District has been working with the South Central RPDC (Rolla), the Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, the Community Training and Assistant Center (CTAC), and the Washoe County School District (WCSD) in Reno, NV to put together the best SLO supports for our educators.
- The SLO (Student Learning Objectives) WHY and the WHAT
- Student Learning Objectives Overview
- Rationale for Student Learning Objectives
- SLO Elements in Action
- The 8 Levels of Performance
- SLO Phases in Action
- Professional Development Trainings
START WITH WHY?
We believe in the GCR2 school district that every educator deserves the right to tell their story, to show how successful they are in the classroom.
#ThisIsMyStory
SLO OVERVIEW
An SLO is a specific and measurable long-term goal for a group of students determined by the teacher and approved by the administrator and the site review team. SLOs are developed collaboratively. SLOs promote focus on student learning, effective instruction and assessment use. Developed collaboratively with teaching peers and administrators, SLOs are based on both current data and available existing data and are aligned to the Nevada Academic Content Standards. SLOs should align to the school goals identified in the school performance plan and teacher goals identified in the professional growth system.
GCR2 RATIONALE FOR SLOs
The Gasconade County R-II School District Comprehensive School Improvement Plan establishes as clear priorities the continuing academic success of every student and effectiveness of all educators to ensure that all students will be college and career ready. Throughout the district, educators employ knowledge about effective instruction, assessment use and formative practice in professional learning communities to identify areas of growth and plan for increasing student achievement.
Implementing Student Learning Objectives will align collaborative practice, data use, standards based instruction, goal setting and the continuous cycle of improvement of instructional practice to realize increased student learning. The Student Learning Objectives (SLO) process is a means to measure student growth and attribute that growth to teachers and principals. The SLO process allows principals and teachers to consider students’ instructional needs and educators’ practices while developing rigorous yet attainable goals for student learning. Developing SLOs, teachers will collaborate with other educators to used data to inform instructional practice.
As a part of the new evaluation system, SLOs will:
Development and use of an SLO through teacher and administrator collaboration foster a climate of trust and professionalism to improve instruction and links the evaluation system to effective teaching and improved student achievement. Through aligned development and on-going collaborative analysis, the SLO process can assist in the development of principals and teachers.
Implementing Student Learning Objectives will align collaborative practice, data use, standards based instruction, goal setting and the continuous cycle of improvement of instructional practice to realize increased student learning. The Student Learning Objectives (SLO) process is a means to measure student growth and attribute that growth to teachers and principals. The SLO process allows principals and teachers to consider students’ instructional needs and educators’ practices while developing rigorous yet attainable goals for student learning. Developing SLOs, teachers will collaborate with other educators to used data to inform instructional practice.
As a part of the new evaluation system, SLOs will:
- Promote the implementation of rigorous standards based curriculum.
- Promote the use of data in identifying priorities and informing formative practice.
- Identify areas of implementation and areas of growth for professional development planning.
- Connect evaluation directly to classroom level student achievement, respecting teacher efficacy.
- Support teachers and principals in the development of a collaborative culture focused on student achievement and improved instruction.
- Collect information on how educators impact student growth and achievement
Development and use of an SLO through teacher and administrator collaboration foster a climate of trust and professionalism to improve instruction and links the evaluation system to effective teaching and improved student achievement. Through aligned development and on-going collaborative analysis, the SLO process can assist in the development of principals and teachers.
ELEMENTS IN ACTION
Student Learning Objectives are rooted in good instructional practice and continuous improvement. The goal of the SLO is increased student achievement. In crafting an SLO, you are being explicit about your instructional practice. There are six elements in each SLO: learning content, assessments, student growth targets, student population, instructional strategies and instruction interval. While all elements are important to consider, three elements – learning content, student growth targets, and assessments are pivotal for an effective SLO.
Learning Content
To improve student achievement, clarity on the desired learning content is essential. The identified learning content, based on the Nevada Academic Content Standards, must be pivotal, essential, rigorous and appropriate based on the students’ needs and the course expectations.
To determine the standards that will be included in the SLO, consider scope the course standards in relation to the needs of the students identified through an examination of the preexisting data. Well-crafted SLOs demonstrate:
To improve student achievement, clarity on the desired learning content is essential. The identified learning content, based on the Nevada Academic Content Standards, must be pivotal, essential, rigorous and appropriate based on the students’ needs and the course expectations.
To determine the standards that will be included in the SLO, consider scope the course standards in relation to the needs of the students identified through an examination of the preexisting data. Well-crafted SLOs demonstrate:
- Multiple data sources were reviewed
- Specific need indicated by data
- Substantial learning content of the standards of the course
- The content is essential to student success
- A clear rationale articulated
Assessments
Assessment is key to any successful instruction. It is critically important that both summative and formative assessments be aligned clearly to the learning content. Well-crafted SLOs include assessments that:
Assessment is key to any successful instruction. It is critically important that both summative and formative assessments be aligned clearly to the learning content. Well-crafted SLOs include assessments that:
- Aligned clearly to the identified learning content
- Measure the standards identified in multiple ways
- Allow students to demonstrate a depth of understanding and application
Student Growth Targets
Our goal is to help students grow in their mastery of the standards. SLO growth expectations must indicate appropriate growth based on the readiness of the students. You will have to identify the appropriate level of growth for individual students and articulate why that is the appropriate level. Well-crafted SLOs have growth goals that:
Our goal is to help students grow in their mastery of the standards. SLO growth expectations must indicate appropriate growth based on the readiness of the students. You will have to identify the appropriate level of growth for individual students and articulate why that is the appropriate level. Well-crafted SLOs have growth goals that:
- Require a high level of rigor for attainment of standards
- Have pre-assessment scores and explanation that show the learning content included addresses a clear deficit in the students’ learning.
Student Population
Secondary teachers will identify one class of students to include in the SLO. Elementary teachers will include their class of students. For a Class SLO, all students in that instructional period will be included. Use preexisting data to identify the student population. Well-crafted SLOs include:
Secondary teachers will identify one class of students to include in the SLO. Elementary teachers will include their class of students. For a Class SLO, all students in that instructional period will be included. Use preexisting data to identify the student population. Well-crafted SLOs include:
- Justification of the student population chosen by demonstrating a need for the learning content and the broader context
- Relevant student characteristics
Instructional Strategies
Teachers should include a few key strategies that will be the focus of their instruction, not all strategies used throughout the instructional interval. Strategies should be selected that have been proven to work. Innovative strategies not yet tested or researched may be chosen with site-based approval team or administrative approval. Well-crafted SLOs include:
Teachers should include a few key strategies that will be the focus of their instruction, not all strategies used throughout the instructional interval. Strategies should be selected that have been proven to work. Innovative strategies not yet tested or researched may be chosen with site-based approval team or administrative approval. Well-crafted SLOs include:
- Clear differentiation ideas using initial data and responding to formative data collected during the instructional interval
Interval of Instruction
How much time is needed to adequately address the identified learning content and allow students to show the desired growth toward mastery? The GCR2 expectation is that the instructional interval will be no less than six weeks to allow for the needed depth and complexity of the learning content. Well-crafted SLOs indicate:
How much time is needed to adequately address the identified learning content and allow students to show the desired growth toward mastery? The GCR2 expectation is that the instructional interval will be no less than six weeks to allow for the needed depth and complexity of the learning content. Well-crafted SLOs indicate:
- A clear start and end date that allow for the depth and complexity of the learning
- Quantifies the average instructional time
- Identifies key learning experiences
8 LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE
SLOs tie student achievement more closely to teacher practice. Student achievement is considered in terms of mastery or growth to mastery of the course standards. Setting of growth goal and measurement of that growth is described in terms of 8 levels of performance.
Student data should be reported in terms of the student’s attainment of the standards in the SLO. We are all familiar with some of the SBG assessments which report student results using four achievement bands- exceeding, meeting, approaching, and emerging. This is similar to the reporting seen on all state assessments. However, to show growth more clearly on the SLO, GCR2 directs that each band is divided into a high and low. This is to recognize the growth of the students and the work of the teachers. Hence, low emerging is a 1 and highly exceeding standards is an 8.
While identifying learning content to be included in the SLO, teachers develop clear understanding of what it means for a student to “meet” the standard included in the SLO. This mastery can be demonstrated through multiple measures and varied assessment tasks. This is an excellent topic for job-alike colleagues in collaborative discussions and gets to the heart of the professional learning community process:
- What do we want students to learn?
- How will we know they learned it?
- How will we get them there?
- What will we do when they learn or if they don’t?
Teachers can use one assessment measure or, more likely, multiple measures. Examine student results working with job-alike peers and determine the student’s level of standard attainment from the beginning of the SLO and at the end of the instructional interval using these eight levels of performance.
EXCEEDING STANDARDS |
|
8
7
|
MEETING STANDARDS |
|
6
5 (TARGET)
|
APPROACHING STANDARDS |
|
4
3
|
EMERGING STANDARDS |
|
2
1
|
PHASES IN ACTION
To complement the cycle of continuous improvement, the SLO process in the Gasconade County R-II School District is broken into phases. These phases typically span an entire course length (e.g., year, semester). GCR2 has highlighted SLO as a means to further foster instructional improvement, reflective and collaborative practice. Collaboration with colleagues on preparation, development, analysis and reflection on implementation is desired. Your SLO would be a topic discussed in PLC. Additionally, the focus of your SLO should mirror the focus of your annual evaluation and/or align to your PDP. Important actions are indicated for each phase.
GCR2 builds your capacity in all four phases of the SLO cycle:
GCR2 builds your capacity in all four phases of the SLO cycle:
- Preparation to address pivotal planning decisions, design the SLO structures, and develop training and rollout strategies.
- Development to train school personnel and craft SLOs.
- Implementation to monitor student and teacher progress, strengthen teaching practices and increase student learning.
- Results Analysis to examine and translate student outcomes into the teacher evaluation system, refine practices and make informed decisions based on results.
Preparation
- Obtain teaching assignment & participate in training
- Review preexisting, or baseline, student data
- Identify learning content based on student learning needs
- Collaborate with colleagues on baseline data and identifying content focus
- Develop or select pre-assessment (initial) and post- assessment (culminating).
- Submit for assessment approval: learning content, student population, and assessments
Development
- Administer, score, and analyze initial data
- Develop individual student growth goals
- Identify selected instructional strategies
- Craft SLO for remaining elements
- Submit SLO for approval and feedback
- Revise SLO as needed
- Receive approval to implement the SLO
Implementation
- Teach the learning content
- Use formative assessment data to inform instruction and differentiate for students
- Meet with colleagues and administrator to review progress
- Receive ongoing support and feedback
Results Analysis
- Administer, score, and record culminating assessment data
- Reflect on outcomes to improve implementation and practice
- Complete close out of SLO
- For students to be eligible in the SLO, they must have 80% attendance during the instructional interval. Teachers must also have 80% in the instructional interval.
- Meet with administrator to review outcomes
PROFESSIONAL DEVELVOPMENT TRAINING SESSIONS
TRAINING SESSION #1 : Introduction
Objectives
Objectives
- Review the local context for student learning objectives
- Build knowledge and understanding of student learning objectives process and content
- Review considerations for development of a student learning objective
- Understand the training and support process for SLO development
TRAINING SESSION #2: Learning Content and Assessments
Objectives
Objectives
TRAINING SESSION #3: Student Population and Instructional Strategies
Objectives
Objectives
TRAINING SESSION #4: Interval of Instruction and Student Growth Targets
Objectives
Objectives
- Build knowledge and understanding of the options in Target Setting Approaches and the 8 Levels of Performance
- Review available resources on Target Setting and 8 Levels of Performance