TEA to Launch Pilot for use of Student Learning Objective Process

In 2015-2016, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) will pilot the use of Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) as a measure of student growth within teacher appraisal systems. Pilot participants will guide and shape an instructional focus on student growth options.

What are Student Learning Objectives?

Student Learning Objectives are long-term goals for student learning crafted by teachers and administrators. Often working in teams with peer, school, and district support, teachers develop these goals to help define what success looks like for their students and plan backwards to ensure that instruction is purposefully guiding schools, teachers, and students toward a common vision of success.

Pedagogical considerations that a teacher juggles throughout the year – curriculum, instruction, assessment, adjustment, and evaluation are center stage. The process encourages and prompts continual reflection and self-assessment so teachers can focus on aligning curriculum, instruction, and student performance.

Participation

Participation in the pilot can be an entire campus or a single grade or subject on a single campus, although it is recommended, for the sake of efficiency, that districts participate with ten or more teachers.  Contact Tim Regal at tim.regal@tea.texas.gov with any questions or to inquire further about participation in the SLO pilot.

Benefits

Districts participating in the pilot year will benefit with opportunities to:

• Send representatives to the free training from content experts;
• Get continued support throughout the pilot year from TEA, ESC staff, and Central Texas Assessment Cooperative (CTAC), including webinars and support sessions to assist in implementation;
• Customize policies and procedures to fit the local context while using a general framework; and
• Provide feedback for refinement of the process for developing the system of Student Learning Objective.

For more information on the SLO process and the SLO pilot, please view the following resources found on the TEA website under the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System page:  SLO Pilot Overview.

Please contact Tim Regal at tim.regal@tea.texas.gov with any questions or to inquire further about participation in the SLO pilot.  

View or download a copy of the Student Learning Objective Process Overview  (.pdf file)

View a copy of this press release on the TEA website.