Alternative Growth Measures

Description

The TEAM evaluation system generates a level of overall effectiveness (LOE) score for all teachers by combining teacher observation, student academic achievement, and student academic growth. For teachers in state-tested courses, student academic growth is reflected through the Tennessee Value Added Assessment System (TVAAS). Teachers in non-tested courses may access a student growth portfolio or an alternative growth measure (AGM) to represent their individual impact on academic growth. In both scenarios, the growth score comprises 35% of the teacher’s LOE.In February 2018, the state legislature amended T.C.A. § 49-1-302 to ensure that every district and charter organization utilizes at least one approved growth measure for non-tested teachers. Additionally, pursuant to T.C.A. § 49-6-105, state board policy 5.201, and state board rule 0520-02-01, districts and charters that receive pre-kindergarten program approval under T.C.A. §§ 49-6-103 – 49-6-110 (VPK funding) must utilize the pre-K/kindergarten growth portfolio model or an approved AGM for the student growth portion of teacher evaluation.Pursuant to the 2021 Tennessee Literacy Success Act, codified at T.C.A. § 49-1-901 et. seq., allows for districts and public charter schools to use a Universal Reading Screener (URS) as an approved alternative growth measure (AGM) for Pre-K -2 teachers.Measures approved as universal reading screeners by the state board in policy 3.302 as required by the Tennessee Literacy Success Act include the following:

Tennessee Universal Reading Screener (aimswebPlus)*
DIBELs, 8th Edition
easyCBM
FastBridge Suite*
iReady + iReady Early Reading Tasks
Measures of Academic Progress Suite
STAR Early Literacy*

All measures may be used as an alternative growth measure (AGM) for all students in grades K-2. Starred measures may be used as an alternative growth measure (AGM) in Pre-K.

It is important to note that there are limits to using the Pearson aimswebPlus screener for Pre-K. Pearson aimswebPlus allow for rostering of Pre-K students but uses kindergarten national norms and does not have Pre-K norms. These norms may limit the equity of using Pearson aimswebPlus for an alternative growth measure.

URS Growth Score Guidance

Ensuring Implementing Teachers Receive Accurate Growth Scores

Districts should:

Select one person from your district/charter to complete this template to roster your teachers. This person will then be our AGM-URS lead contact. This information will be used to ensure each teacher of record is accurately represented in the data set.
Rosters must be submitted by Friday, Dec. 9, 2022.
Submit fully completed rosters here. Each roster must have the following information for every teacher of record in your district/charter:
- First Name
- Last Name
- Email address
- Employee ID/ TLN
- District ID
- Grade Level
- School ID
- Year

Ensuring District Data Quality with URS Implementation

Districts should take certain steps to ensure data quality. These include:

Ensuring the teacher of record in the URS platform is the teacher of record in EIS. Students should not be attributed to any other teachers.
Ensuring the state student identification number, teacher license number, and district and school identification numbers are accurate with your URS vendor. Other than the student identification number, this information can be found in TNCompass on the educator’s evaluations tab.
Working directly with vendors to correct all errors from error reports. Vendors receive error reports after each URS submission window. Uncorrected errors may result in a teacher receiving an incomplete (I) growth score and no LOE.

Receiving Growth Scores from URS Implementation

Implementing teachers who have fewer than six students with complete data sets from fall and spring administration will not generate an individual growth score from the URS These teachers will have their level of effectiveness (LOE) scores calculated as non-tested teachers.

Implementing teachers who do not generate a URS based growth due to lack of district data quality will receive an incomplete (I) and will not generate an LOE. The “best possible” scenario was available only for the 2021-22 school year and is no longer an option for the 2022-23 school year and beyond.