Adopting the Performance Assessment of Contributions and Effectiveness of Speech-Language Pathologists An Alternative to Value Added Assessment

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Adopting the Performance Assessment of
Contributions and Effectiveness of
Speech-Language Pathologists An Alternative to
Value Added Assessment

• Presentation provided byAmerican
  Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2012

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Purpose of this Presentation

• This power point is intended to present the PACE
  to others who will be involved the decision
  making process regarding the adoption of an
  evaluation system for SLPs.

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Agenda

• Review of the PACE
• Rationale for PACE
• Component objectives for PACE
• PACE portfolio
• Next steps

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What is the

• Performance Assessment of Contributions
• and Effectiveness of
• Speech-Language Pathologists (PACE)?

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PACE

• PACE is a method for determining
• the value and contributions that an SLP makes to
  individual students, families and the school
  community
• the effectiveness of SLPs
• professional development priorities for SLPs.

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Why PACE?

• Ensures that the evaluation measures accurately
  reflect the speech-language pathologists (SLP)
  unique role in contributing to a childs overall
  performance.
• Ensures that the SLP is contributing to the
  success of the school community.

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Why PACE instead of VAA?

• Research to date has primarily focused on
  implications of use of VAA with classroom
  teachers.
• Notable concerns surfaced, such as difficulty
  linking student outcomes to one teacher and
  uncertainty about the accuracy of imputation
  models for missing student data.

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Why PACE instead of VAA?

• Value Added ratings cant disentangle the many
  influences on student progress.
• Value Added models of teacher effectiveness are
  inconsistent.
• Teachers are advantaged or disadvantaged based on
  students they teach.
• Darling-Hammond, L., Amrein-Beardsley, A.,
  Haertel, E., Rothstein, J. Evaluating Teacher
  Effectiveness Kappan, March 2012, (8-15).

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Why PACE instead of VAA?

• The goals of both teachers and SLPs are related,
  but
• Goals of an SLP typically address foundational
  skills that support learning
• Goals of a teacher targeting specific subject
  areas
• Collaboration opportunities are different
• Classroom teachers have the opportunity to
  collaborate and consult with others teaching the
  same grade or subjects
• Typically there is only one SLP in a school, and
  that SLP often serves a variety of students
  across teachers and may be assigned to multiple
  schools

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Why PACE instead of VAA?

• ASHAs Value-Added Working Team was not able
  to identify any VAA models that specifically
  incorporated SLPs.

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Why PACE instead of VAA?

• Evaluating the value that an SLP brings to the
  school or connecting their value to specific
  student  performance is a challenge when
  compared to a classroom teacher.
• An elementary classroom teacher spends between
  4-5 hours a day providing direct instruction to
  the same group of students.
• An SLP typically spends approximately 1 hour per
  week with students on the caseload.

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Why PACE instead of VAA?

• PACE is reflective of
• The unique roles and responsibilities of a
  school-based SLP, based on Roles and
  Responsibilities of Speech-Language Pathologists
  in the Schools (ASHA,2010)
• The unique working environment of the SLP
• Multiple measures of performance

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Considerations for Evaluation Systems

• Optimal features in accountability measures
  include a comprehensive and rich overview of
  classroom activities and behaviors and
  application across teachers, subjects, and
  context for both formative and summative
  assessments.
• Of all of the measures reviewed, the most
  flexible measures of the unique role of the SLP
  include
• portfolio assessment
• classroom observation
• teacher self-report

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PACE System

• The PACE system is comprised of
• 1. Professional Performance Review Process for
  the School-Based Speech-Language Pathologist
  (ASHA, 2006)
• Classroom observation
• teacher self-report
• 2. Performance Assessment of Contributions and
  Effectiveness of SLPs (PACE) Matrix
• portfolio assessment

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PACE System

• The PACE system is objective based.
• The targeted objectives are fundamental to the
  success of the SLP and describe the specific
  skills necessary to provide quality services.

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PACE System

• The system is a portfolio based evaluation.
• Sources of information to be included in the SLPs
  portfolio include
• Observation notes from a qualified supervisor
• Surveys of teachers and parents
• IEP documents
• Schedules
• Self assessments
• Case files
• Other forms of documentation

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PACE System

• Evaluation Objectives

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Demonstrate knowledge in the subject area of
speech-language pathology and related areas

• An SLP needs to
• be knowledgeable in the assessment and treatment
  of the full range of communication disorders
• understand the impact of communication disorders
  on academic and social performance
• understand the specific laws and regulations that
  are fundamental to providing services in the
  school setting
• have knowledge about practice ethics

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Provide educationally relevant services
reflecting evidenced based practice

• In addition to understanding how to assess and
  treat individuals experiencing communication
  disorders, SLPs must embed the students
  curricular materials and objectives into the
  sessions.
• The methods and strategies must also be
  evidenced-based to the greatest degree possible.
  

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Provide services that are consistent with state
and federal regulations for students with IEPs

• IEP goals need to be appropriate and relevant to
  the needs of students and related to the common
  core standards .
• Documents need to be written as required by
  regulations, and processed within appropriate
  time lines, using appropriate form.
• IEP team members must be invited to contribute
  to the documents .

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Demonstrate the ability to conduct appropriate
comprehensive evaluations and assessments of
students experiencing or at risk for a variety of
speech and language and swallowing disorders

• Assessments should contain information from
  standardized tests, curriculum based assessments,
  observational reports, classroom performance
  measures and should also include input from
  parents and teachers.
• Information collected should be presented
  professionally and comprehensively and include
  recommendations for service delivery and goal
  attainment.

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Provide a variety of appropriate and dynamic
service delivery methods

• The number and length of sessions provided and
  the location of the services (service delivery)
  should change throughout the school year, based
  on the needs and progress of the student.
• The SLP should demonstrate the ability to vary
  service delivery accordingly.
• SLP should be working within the general
  education classrooms as well as in the therapy
  room.

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Demonstrate the ability to work with classroom
teachers and other professionals

• SLPs need to collaborate with classroom teachers,
  administrators, and other service providers to
• Ensure that services are relevant and facilitate
  progress with the curriculum
• Provide information to staff regarding
  communication facilitating strategies that can be
  used in the classroom
• Understand how to best integrate therapy goals
  into the childs full school experience

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Provide opportunities for families to be involved
in the students SLP services

• SLPs should be in communication with families to
• Collect input for diagnostic information
• Acquire input for the design of the IEP
• Report progress
• Provide information regarding how families can
  support the therapy program within the home
  environment
• Respond to questions and concerns

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Earn sufficient continuing education or
professional development units necessary to meet
ASHA requirements for certification maintenance
as well as state requirements

• SLPs need to participate in continuing education
  designed to meet their specific needs
• Although participation in district in service
  training is appropriate, they also need training
  specific to their unique roles and
  responsibilities

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Contribute to various building or district
initiatives

• An SLP is encouraged to be involved in
• Response to Intervention initiatives at all three
  tiers
• Presentations to staff and parent groups
• Various building and district committees

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Portfolio

• The portfolio, which is fundamental to the PACE,
• should include the following
• A sampling of case files containing
• Assessment and IEP documents
• Progress reports
• Therapy log reports
• Therapy schedule
• Reports to parents
• Staff communications

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Portfolio

• The portfolio should include the following
• Reports of observations conducted by individuals
  knowledgeable about the practice of
  speech-language pathology
• A sampling of IEP documents
• Teacher surveys
• Parent surveys
• Narrative input from the SLP

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Portfolio

• The portfolio should include the following
• Record of participation in professional
  development programs
• Copy of the SLPs schedule at the beginning,
  middle and end of the year
• Samples of presentations
• Samples of RTI contributions

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Other Considerations

• Caseload/workload
• Any evaluation process should take into account
  the workload of the individual being evaluated.
• The workload should be reasonable enough to allow
  the SLP to provide appropriate services and to
  account for the wide range of activities and
  responsibilities that contribute to effective
  service provision.
• ASHAs workload resources can be found at
• www.asha.org/slp/schools/resources/schools_resourc
  es_caseload.htm

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Other Considerations

• Adequate resources
• An SLP needs adequate resources to provide
  appropriate services. These resources should
  include
• Dedicated workspace with a computer, storage and
  furniture
• Updated testing and therapy materials
• A schedule that allows for time to consult and
  collaborate with colleagues and families
• Access to general education curricular materials
  (e.g.,text books, teachers lesson plans)
• Assistive technology for students

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Evaluation Conclusion

• Any evaluation system should be viewed as a tool
  to determine the strengths and limitations of
  professionals providing services.
• An evaluation should be conducted by supervisors
  who have knowledge of the specific practice area.
• Evaluations should assist professionals in
  identifying areas for targeted professional
  development.

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PACE

• To learn more about and to download the
  components of the PACE go to
• www.asha.org/Advocacy/state/Performance-Assessment
  -of-Contributions-and-Effectiveness/
• Many states/school districts are developing VAA
  systems for teachers and eventually other
  professions. To learn about what you state or
  local district is doing go to Appendices B and C
  of the document

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Next Steps

• Review the PACE resources
• Use the PACE system to evaluate SLPs on a trial
  basis
• Determine the strengths and limitations of the
  PACE system
• Adopt the PACE system (either the original or an
  adapted version) for your district and/ or state
• Use the PACE as a resource for developing systems
  to evaluate other related service providers