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GLOSSARY OF TERMS - EVALUATION DATA

Basic Educational Data System (BEDS) Day is typically the first Wednesday in October of the school year.

District Needs is a representation of need/resource capacity which is an indicator of geography and wealth of a district. Additional information on the calculations used to determine each district's needs/resource capacity.

This represents the grade level of the students enrolled in a teacher's course. For the purposes of this data, teachers can be responsible for any grade(s) from K (Kindergarten) through Grade 12, including ungraded elementary and ungraded secondary.

These data are the "Locally-Selected Measures" subcomponent ratings based on scores reported to NYSED by districts and BOCES that conducted evaluations pursuant to Education Law §3012-c during the 2015-16 school year.

Education Law §3012-c requires that 20% of a teacher's or principal's evaluation be based on Locally-Selected Measures.

A Locally-Selected Measure may either measure growth or achievement from a selection of available assessment options (please see the Summary of Revised APPR Provisions 2012-2013 assessment options). Points are assigned to educators in a manner determined locally, through collective bargaining, using regulatory standards and scoring ranges.

Measures used for the Locally-Selected Measures subcomponent must be different from the growth measures used in the State Growth or Other Comparable Measures subcomponent. However, the Locally-Selected Measure may be based on the same State assessment, State-approved 3rd party assessment, or district/BOCES-developed assessment as long as the State Growth or Other Comparable Measures subcomponent is a different measure of growth than that used for the Locally-Selected Measures subcomponent. This would include, but not be limited to, measuring results from different courses or students, using different assessments and/or using a different measure on the same assessment (achievement instead of growth or a subgroup of students, for example).

The scoring ranges for the Locally-Selected Measures subcomponent are set in Education Law §3012-c and are as follows:

  • Highly effective (18-20 points): results are well-above district- or BOCES-adopted expectations for growth or achievement for grade/subject.
  • Effective (9-17 points): results meet district- or BOCES-adopted expectations for growth or achievement for grade/subject.
  • Developing (3-8 points): results are below district- or BOCES-adopted expectations for growth or achievement for grade/subject.
  • Ineffective (0-2 points): results are well-below district- or BOCES-adopted expectations for growth or achievement for grade/subject.

For the 2013-2014 school year and thereafter, for APPR plans under Education Law §3012-c, the Commissioner will review the scoring ranges annually before the start of each school year and recommend any changes to the Board of Regents [§3012-c(2)(a)(7)].

For more information regarding the Locally-Selected Measures please see Section E of the §3012-c APPR Guidance document.

These data are the subcomponent and/or Category ratings and Overall Composite Ratings reported to NYSED by districts/BOCES calculated pursuant to the district's/BOCES' approved APPR plan without any modifications, substitutions, or replacements as a result of the transition regulations (see "Transition Scores/Ratings" below). Accordingly, an educator's Original ratings include the results of the grades 3-8 ELA/math State assessments and/or State-provided growth scores.

Consistent with the recommendations of the Governor's Common Core Task Force, sections 30-2.14 and 30-3.17 of the Rules of the Board of Regents require that the results of the grades 3-8 ELA/math State assessments and State-provided growth scores shall not have evaluative consequences for educators during the 2015-16 through 2018-19 school years (i.e., the "transition period"). During the transition period, an educator's Original Overall Composite Rating may be used for advisory purposes only.

For purposes of public reporting of aggregate data pursuant to Education Law §3012-c, as made applicable to evaluations conducted pursuant to Education Law §3012-d by section 30-3.15 of the Rules of the Board of Regents, the Original Overall Composite Ratings must be reported in addition to Transition Overall Composite Ratings.

Educators whose student performance measures are not based on the grades 3-8 ELA/math State assessments or State-provided growth scores (e.g., teachers with SLOs based on Regents assessments) are not impacted by the transition regulations. Districts/BOCES must continue to evaluate such teachers using the measures specified in the district's/BOCES' approved APPR plan. Accordingly, only one set of scores and ratings will be reported for such educators during the 2015-16 through 2018-19 school years.

These data are the "Other Measures of Educator Effectiveness" subcomponent ratings based on scores reported to NYSED by districts and BOCES that conducted evaluations pursuant to Education Law §3012-c during the 2015-16 school year.

Education Law §3012-c requires that 60% of teacher and principal evaluations be based on multiple measures of teacher/principal effectiveness consistent with standards prescribed by the Commissioner in regulation. This will include the extent to which the educator demonstrates proficiency in meeting New York State's teaching or leadership standards. Education Law §3012-c also states that the scoring ranges and the process for assigning points (on a 0-60 scale) for the Other Measures of Educator Effectiveness subcomponent are to be locally established through negotiations.

At least a majority (31) of the 60 points of a teacher's evaluation must be based on multiple classroom observations - meaning 2 or more - by a principal or other trained administrator. Classroom observations may be performed in person or via video. At least one observation by a principal or other trained administrator must be unannounced. Please see the Summary of Revised APPR Provisions 2012-2013 for more specific details regarding the use of classroom observations as the basis of any remaining points and who may conduct observations for these points.

At least a majority (31) of the 60 points of a principal's evaluation must be based on a broad assessment of principal leadership and management actions based on the principal practice rubric, by the principal's supervisor, a trained administrator, or a trained independent evaluator. The assessment must incorporate multiple school visits by a supervisor, a trained administrator, or other trained evaluator, where at least one visit must be from a supervisor and at least one visit must be unannounced. A district or BOCES may allocate the full 60 points of a principal's evaluation to the broad assessment of principal leadership and management actions based on the State approved principal practice rubric. Please see the Summary of Revised APPR Provisions 2012-2013 for more specific details regarding the basis of any remaining points.

The process by which points are assigned and the scoring range is determined locally and must be transparent and provided in advance to those who will be rated. Each district/BOCES must describe its process for assigning the other 60 points in its APPR plan, which must be published on its web site.

The following narrative descriptions must be used when a district/BOCES rates a teacher/principal in this subcomponent, in order to effectively differentiate educators' performance in ways that improve student learning and instruction:

  • Highly effective: overall performance and results exceed the teaching or leadership standards.
  • Effective: overall performance and results meet the teaching or leadership standards.
  • Developing: overall performance and results need improvement in order to meet the teacher or leadership standards.
  • Ineffective: overall performance and results do not meet the teacher or leadership standards.

For more information regarding the Other Measures of Educator Effectiveness Subcomponent please see Section H of the §3012-c APPR Guidance document.

This rating is provided to NYSED by districts, BOCES, and charter schools.

Each classroom teacher and building principal must receive an overall rating of Highly Effective, Effective, Developing, or Ineffective (HEDI). In evaluations conducted pursuant to Education Law §3012-c, the overall rating is based on a single composite effectiveness score that is calculated based on the scores received by the teacher or principal in each of the three subcomponents (State Growth or Other Comparable Measures, Locally-Selected Measures, and Other Measures of Educator Effectiveness).

For evaluations conducted pursuant to Education Law §3012-c during the 2015-16 school year, the scoring ranges for each Overall Composite Rating are as follows and are set by statute: Highly Effective (91-100), Effective (75-90), Developing (65-74), and Ineffective (0-64) [see Education Law §3012-c(2)(a)(2)]. For the 2013-2014 school year and thereafter, for APPR plans under Education Law §3012-c, the Commissioner will review the scoring ranges annually before the start of each school year and recommend any changes to the Board of Regents [§3012-c(2)(a)(7)].

This rating is provided to NYSED by districts and BOCES.

Each classroom teacher and building principal must receive an overall rating of Highly Effective, Effective, Developing, or Ineffective (HEDI). In evaluations conducted pursuant to Education Law §3012-d, the overall rating is calculated based on the ratings received in the Student Performance Category and Observation or School Visit Category, using a State-prescribed matrix.

For evaluations conducted pursuant to Education Law §3012-d during the 2015-16 school year and thereafter, the Overall Composite Rating is determined using the following methodology:2

Student Performance
 
Observation/School Visit
 
Highly Effective (H)
Effective (E)
Developing (D)
Ineffective (I)
Highly Effective (H)
H
H
E
D
Effective (E)
H
E
E
D
Developing (D)
E
E
D
I
Ineffective (I)
D*
D*
I
I

Per-Pupil-Expenditure is a low-medium-high indicator for the amount of money a district spends per pupil relative to other districts in New York. Per-Pupil-Expenditure data is lagged by a year so the previous year's data are used to calculate this indicator. Additional information on the calculation of Per-Pupil-Expenditures.

Researcher ID is a unique ID number randomly assigned to all educators included in the Research File. Researcher ID numbers are used to protect Personally Identifiable Information (PII). In the Researcher File, a single educator may have multiple Research IDs associated with them if they are teaching in multiple districts. If an educator teaches in multiple schools within the same district they will have the same Researcher ID, however, if an educator teaches in multiple districts they will have a different Researcher ID for each district they are associated with.

School Size categorizes schools by number of students enrolled and uses three categories: small, medium and large. School Size is calculated separately for each school type (elementary, middle, senior) so there are nine possible categories to this indicator.

School type is an indicator of the grade configuration of the school. Each school is assigned to one of six grade configurations commonly used at NYSED: PreK-12; Elementary; Junior High; Middle; Junior-Senior High; or Senior High.

These data are the "State Growth or Other Comparable Measures" subcomponent ratings based on scores provided to NYSED by districts and BOCES that conducted evaluations pursuant to Education Law §3012-c during the 2015-16 school year.

As part of the APPR process, New York State teachers of math and English Language Arts (ELA) in grades 4-8 and their principals receive State-provided growth scores. These growth scores describe how much students in their classrooms and schools are growing academically in mathematics and ELA (as measured by the New York State 3-8 math and ELA assessments) compared to similar students statewide.

For the 2012-2013, 2013-2014, 2014-2015, and 2015-16 school years, two measures were used to calculate the State-provided growth score for high school principals of all of grades 9-12. One of the measures is the calculation of a mean growth percentile (MGP) for a principal based on student growth on the Algebra I and ELA Regents exams compared to similar students1. In addition, NYSED has developed a measure of student growth based on the number of Regents exams passed annually starting in the year of student entry into 9th grade, compared to similar students statewide. For more information about State-provided growth scores please see these Resources about State-Provided Growth Measures. Please note that during the 2015-16 school year, State-provided growth scores were used only for purposes of calculating original scores and ratings.

In all other grades and subjects (i.e., those for which the State does not have an approved growth model including high school principals with other grade configurations [e.g. 9-10, 10-12, etc.]), Education Law §3012-c requires that teachers' and principals' evaluations be based in part on comparable measures of student learning growth. For these grades/subjects, districts will be required to utilize the Student Learning Objective process. For more information about Student Learning Objectives please see these Resources about Student Learning Objectives.

The scoring ranges for the State Growth or Other Comparable Measures subcomponent are set in Education Law §3012-c and are as follows:

  • Highly effective (18-20 points): results are well-above state average for similar students (or district goals if no state test).
  • Effective (9-17 points): results meet state average for similar students (or district goals if no state test).
  • Developing (3-8 points): results are below state average for similar students (or district goals if no state test).
  • Ineffective (0-2 points): results are well-below state average for similar students (or district goals if no state test).

For the 2013-2014 school year and thereafter, for APPR plans under Education Law §3012-c, the Commissioner will review the scoring ranges annually before the start of each school year and recommend any changes to the Board of Regents [§3012-c(2)(a)(7)].1

For more information regarding the State Growth or Other Comparable Measures subcomponent please see Section D of the §3012-c APPR Guidance document.

These data are the "State-Provided Growth" ratings as provided by NYSED to school districts.

The State-Provided Growth measure shows the growth obtained by an educator's students on State assessments. The growth of each student is compared to similar students (based on past assessment scores and certain characteristics (SWD status, poverty status and ELL status)).

State-Provided Growth scores are provided for teachers of grades 4-8 ELA and math and their principals as well as Grades 9-12 principals to be used as the State Growth or Other Comparable Measure subcomponent for these educators' APPR under Education Law §3012-c. Based on this measure, each educator earns one of four growth ratings (HEDI) and a growth score from 0-20 points.

In addition, high school principals with buildings that include all of grades 9-12 also received a State-Provided Growth score in the 2012-2013 school year. For the 2012-13, 2013-14, and 2014-15 school years, growth scores for high school principals were calculated using two measures:

  1. Student growth based on the Algebra I and ELA Regents exams compared to similar students1, and
  2. Student growth based on the number of Regents exams passed annually starting in the year of student entry into 9th grade, compared to similar students statewide.

During the 2015-16 through 2018-19 school years, State-provided growth scores will continue to be provided for purposes of calculating original scores/ratings, for advisory purposes only. For more information about State-Provided Growth Scores please see the Resources about State-Provided Growth Measures.

These data are the "Student Performance Category" ratings based on scores provided to NYSED by districts and BOCES conducting evaluations pursuant to Education Law §3012-d in the 2015-16 school year and thereafter. All student performance measures under Education Law §3012-d must measure student growth, and all student performance measures must be capable of generating a score of 0-20. The measures available in the Required and Optional subcomponents of the Student Performance Category are described in the definitions for each subcomponent.

The Student Performance Category consists of two subcomponents - one required and one optional. If only the Required Student Performance Category subcomponent is used, it is weighted as 100% of each educator's overall Student Performance Category score. If a district/BOCES locally negotiates the use of the Optional Student Performance Category subcomponent, the weightings for each subcomponent are established locally, provided that the Required subcomponent must be weighted at a minimum of 50%, and the Optional subcomponent must be weighted no more than 50%.

An educator's scores in the subcomponents of the Student Performance Category are combined using a weighted average to produce an overall Student Performance Category score of 0 to 20. Using this score, an overall Student Performance Category rating shall be derived from the table below:

 
Overall Student Performance Category Score and Rating
 
Minimum
Maximum
H
18
20
E
15
17
D
13
14
I
0
12

Subject represents the subject of the course(s) a teacher is teaching.

Other subject area includes Religious Education and Theology, Military Science, Miscellaneous, and Non-subject-specific courses.

State, county, BOCES, district, and school-level data are suppressed as follows:

  1. If any single HEDI category has a cell total that equals the row total, the entire row of data is suppressed; and
  2. If the row total is less than five, the entire row of data is suppressed.

Filtered State, county, BOCES, district, and school-level data are suppressed as follows:

  1. If any cell is less than five, the cell is suppressed.
  2. When there is suppression of a single cell, the next smallest cell(s) is suppressed until the total of the data in the suppressed cells adds up to at least five.
  3. If any single HEDI category has a cell total that equals the row total, the entire row of data is suppressed.

After applying filters to the data on the site at the BOCES, district or school level a range will be provided instead of an exact count of educators to further protect PII.

These data are the "Teacher Observation Category" ratings for teachers, and "Principal School Visit Category" ratings for principals based on scores reported to NYSED from evaluations conducted pursuant to Education Law §3012-d in the 2015-16 school year and thereafter.

Education Law §3012-d requires that the Teacher Observation/Principal School Visit Category be based on at least two types of required observations/school visits (i.e., the Required subcomponents) and may also be based on one optional type of observation/school visit (i.e., the Optional subcomponent). Teachers' classroom observations may be conducted in person or by video. However, principals' school visits may only be conducted in person. Additionally, each educator must receive at least two observations/school visits annually; one of the required observations/school visits must be unannounced. For additional information regarding the scoring of teacher observations/principal school visits including information about which elements of the rubric must be scored, prohibited elements, and parameters for establishing scoring ranges, please see Section H of the §3012-d APPR Guidance document.

During the 2015-2016 through 2018-19 school years, the State will transition to higher learning standards through new State assessments aligned to the higher learning standards, and a revised State-provided growth model. During this transition period, educators whose APPRs are based, in whole or in part, on the results of the grades 3-8 ELA or math State assessments and/or State-provided growth scores, shall be provided transition scores and ratings which exclude the results of the grades 3-8 ELA and math State assessments and any State-provided growth scores. Where a measure is based only in part on the grades 3-8 ELA/math State assessments or State-provided growth scores, districts/BOCES must determine whether to use the measure with the remaining assessments when calculating an educator's transition scores/ratings.

During the 2015-16 school year, transition scores and ratings for the Student Performance Category and the Overall Transition Rating will be determined using the scores/ratings in the remaining subcomponents/Categories of an educator's evaluation that are not based on the grades 3-8 ELA/math State assessments or State-provided growth score. Districts that conducted evaluations pursuant to Education Law §3012-c in 2015-16 were required to scale up the scores of the remaining subcomponent according to a locally-determined methodology to calculate a new Overall Transition Score out of 100. Districts that conducted evaluations pursuant to Education Law §3012-d were required to determine a new Overall Composite Transition Rating based on the remaining subcomponents/Categories of an educator's evaluation using the matrix prescribed in statute and Subpart 30-3 of the Rules of the Board of Regents.

For evaluations conducted pursuant to Education Law §3012-d during the 2016-17 through 2018-19 school years, in instances where no scores or ratings in the subcomponents of the Student Performance Category can be generated, an alternate SLO must be developed by the district/BOCES consistent with guidelines prescribed by the Commissioner using assessments approved by the Department that are not the grades 3-8 ELA and math State assessments. This could include any other State assessments, e.g., the grade 4 and 8 State science assessments or Regents examinations.

During the transition period, State-provided growth scores will continue to be computed for advisory purposes only and overall HEDI ratings will continue to be provided to teachers and principals based on such growth scores. However, only the Overall Composite Transition Rating will be used for purposes of employment decisions, including tenure determinations and for purposes of proceedings under Education Law §§ 3020-a and 3020-b and teacher and principal improvement plans and the individual's employment record.

For purposes of public reporting of aggregate data and disclosure to parents pursuant to Education Law §3012-c(10)(b), as made applicable to evaluations conducted pursuant to Education Law §3012-d by section 30-3.15 of the Rules of the Board of Regents, both the Transition and Original Overall Composite Score and/or Rating pursuant to Education Law §3012-c or §3012-d (as applicable) and Subpart 30-2 or 30-3 of the Rules of the Board of Regents (as applicable) shall be reported along with an explanation of the Overall Composite Transition Score and/or Rating.

Educators whose student performance measures are not based on the grades 3-8 ELA/math State assessments or State-provided growth scores (e.g., teachers with SLOs based on Regents assessments) are not impacted by the transition regulations. Districts/BOCES must continue to evaluate such teachers using the measures specified in the district's/BOCES' approved APPR plan. Accordingly, only one set of scores and ratings will be reported for such educators during the 2015-16 through 2018-19 school years.


12012-13: Integrated Algebra Regents/Comprehensive ELA Regents; 2013-14: Integrated Algebra Regents, Common Core Algebra Regents/Comprehensive English Regents, Common Core English Regents; 2014-15: Common Core Algebra Regents Algebra/Comprehensive English Regents, Common Core English Regents; 2015-16: Common Core Algebra Regents/Common Core English Regents

2The asterisks in the matrix indicate that if a teacher or principal is rated Ineffective on the Student Performance Category and a State-designed supplemental assessment was included as an Optional subcomponent of the Student Performance Category, the educator can be rated no higher than Ineffective overall.

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