SAFE-T Judgments

1
SAFE-TJudgments
2
What are the stages of SAFE-T?

• Stage I Preparation
• Stage II Collection of evidence
• Stage III Deliberation
• Stage IV Judgments

3
What is the role of SAFE-T evaluators?

• SAFE-T evaluators are both collectors of evidence
  and judges.
• As collectors of evidence, they are responsible
  for gathering evidence that is as objective as
  possible.
• As judges, they are responsible for making
  informed professional judgments.

4
What is an informed professional judgment?

• Informed means that the judgment is based on
  evidence.
• Professional means that the judgment (1) is
  consistent with ethical guidelines, (2) is
  made on a case-by-case basis, and (3)
  eliminates to the extent possible external
  motives and personal feelings.

5
Where is the evidence located?

• The evidence is contained in the templates in the
  teachers dossier.
• The chair of the evaluation team maintains the
  dossier.

6
Whats in the dossier?

• At this point, the dossier should contain the
  following completed documents
• TT1 teachers LRP and reflections
• TT2 teachers UWS and reflections
• ET1s evaluators observation records
• TT3s teachers reflection on each observed
  lesson
• ET2 professional review completed by the
  principal
• TT4 teachers self-assessment

7
What connects the evidence to the judgments?

• The evaluation criteria serve as the primary
  connection between the evidence and the judgments.

8
What connects the evidence to the judgments?

• The evaluation criteria are described in ET3.
• To reduce subjectivity, all evaluators must use
  ET3 to review all evidence.

9
How many judgments are made?

• Judgments are made at three levels.
• The first judgment concerns whether or not the
  teacher met the requirements defined by each of
  the 34 key elements associated with the ADEPT
  Performance Standards.

10
How many judgments are made?

• Judgments are made at three levels.
• The second judgment concerns whether or not the
  teacher passed each of the four ADEPT domains for
  classroom-based teachers planning, instruction,
  environment, and professionalism.

11
How many judgments are made?

• Judgments are made at three levels.
• The third and final judgment concerns whether or
  not the teacher received an overall passing score
  on SAFE-T.

12
How are the judgments made?

• The team chair must ensure that each member of
  the evaluation team has access to the entire
  contents of the dossier.

13
How are the judgments made?

• Each team member must independently review the
  evidence in terms of the written description of
  each of the key elements.
• Based on this review, each team member
  independently determines whether each key element
  was met or not met.

14
What happens next?

• The next stage is deliberation. Here, the team
  members meet
• to discuss their independent reviews,
• to arrive at consensus regarding the judgment for
  each key element and
• to complete a consensus-based ET3 (SAFE-T
  Evaluation Summary).

15
What else needs to happen at the consensus
(deliberation) meeting?

• The team must agree on the rationale for the
  consensus-based decision (met or not met) for
  each key element.

16
What else needs to happen at the consensus
(deliberation) meeting?

• The rationales must be provided in the
  appropriate sections of ET3.
• The rationale statements are especially important
  when the decision is not met.

17
How many key elements are needed to pass each
domain?
Domain Key Elements Needed to Pass
Planning 10 or 11
Instruction 11 or 12
Environment 5 or 6
Professionalism 4 or 5
18
How many key elements are needed to pass each
domain?

• A teacher can miss one key element and still
  pass a domain. If a teacher misses two or more
  key elements in a particular domain, he or she
  fails the domain.

19
What is the overall passing criteria for SAFE-T?

• To pass SAFE-T, a teacher must pass all four
  domains at the time of the final evaluation.
• Key elements that are not met automatically
  become areas for improvement.

20
Is a written report required?

• Yes. The consensus-based ET3 serves as the
  written evaluation report.
• A consensus-based ET3 must be completed after
  each evaluation period.

21
Is a teacher conference required?

• Yes, at least one evaluation team member must
  meet with the teacher following each consensus
  meeting but prior to the end of each evaluation
  cycle.
• The purpose of the conference is to provide the
  teacher with an explanation and a copy of the
  consensus-based ET3.

22
Is a teacher conference required?

• The teacher must sign and date the
  consensus-based ET3 at the conclusion of the
  meeting. The signature simply indicates that the
  teacher has reviewed the information contained on
  the consensus-based ET3.
• The teacher must receive a copy of the
  consensus-based ET3

23
In summary, what are the steps involved in making
the necessary judgments?

1. Each evaluation team member conducts an
   independent review of the dossier and completes
   ET3.

24
In summary, what are the steps involved in making
the necessary judgments?

1. All evaluation team members meet to discuss their
   independent ratings and to achieve consensus.

25
In summary, what are the steps involved in making
the necessary judgments?

1. The evaluation team members prepare and sign the
   consensus-based ET3.

26
In summary, what are the steps involved in making
the necessary judgments?

1. One or more members of the evaluation team
   conference with the teacher to provide an oral
   and written explanation of the evaluation results.

27
Are there any remaining important points?

• School districts must seek to continuously
  improve the formal evaluation process by
• obtaining and analyzing feedback on an annual
  basis regarding the ADEPT formal evaluation
  process,

28
Are there any remaining important points?

• School districts must seek to continuously
  improve the formal evaluation process by
• analyzing their ADEPT data system (ADS) reports
  and evaluation summaries, and

29
Are there any remaining important points?

• School districts must seek to continuously
  improve the formal evaluation process by
• using the results of these analyses to
  continuously improve the design and/or
  implementation of the ADEPT formal evaluation
  process.