SLO SCRIPT #2 - EXPLAINING THE S-L-O PROCESS

STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES -- SLO's -- 
MEASURE STUDENT GROWTH IN MARYLAND'S NEW TEACHER AND PRINCIPAL EVALUTION SYSTEM.

S-L-O's COMPRISE BETWEEN 30-AND-50 PERCENT OF AN EVALUATION.

IT DEPENDS ON THE TEACHER OR PRINCIPAL'S ASSIGNMENT.

THAT SAID, NO SINGLE S-L-O MAY EXCEED 35-PERCENT OF THE TOTAL RATING.

SLO's OFFER UNIQUE ADVANTAGES:

- THEY REINFORCE BEST PRACTICES.

- AND THEY ENCOURAGE EDUCATORS TO TAKE OWNERSHIP IN MEASURING STUDENT LEARNING.

S-L-O's HAVE A CLEARLY DEFINED CONNECTION TO CLASSROOM PRACTICE.

THEY BENEFIT TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS, SCHOOLS, AND OF COURSE, STUDENTS.

SO, WHAT ARE S-L-O's?

A STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVE IS A SPECIFIC, RIGOROUS, MEASURABLE LONG-TERM ACADEMIC GOAL.

EDUCATORS ESTABLISH THE GOAL TO GUIDE INSTRUCTION AND TO GUIDE ADMINSTRATIVE EFFORTS.

TEACHERS AND SUPERVISORS (MOST OFTEN THEIR PRINCIPALS) SET THESE GOALS IN A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS.

S-L-O's ARE:

- FOCUSED ON THE MOST VALUABLE LEARNING.
  
 - BASED ON THE MOST CURRENT DATA.

- ALIGNED TO CURRENT CURRICULUM STANDARDS.

- SPECIFIC AND MEASURABLE.

S-L-O's SET RIGOROUS, ATTAINABLE GOALS FOR ACHIEVEMENT.

S-L-O's ARE BASED ON STUDENT LEARNING NEEDS.

EDUCATORS IDENTIFY THESE NEEDS BY A REVIEW OF DATA REFLECTING EACH STUDENT'S SKILLS.

THE PROCESS ALLOWS EDUCATORS TO FOCUS ON THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES THEY WANT TO ACHIEVE WITH THE STUDENTS.

AND HOW TO MEASURE THEM.

RIGHT NOW, TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS ALREADY MEET TO MAKE DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS.

THEY IDENTIFY GROWTH; CLOSE GAPS, INCREASE ACHIEVEMENT.

USING S-L-O's FORMALIZES THIS PROCESS.

AND IT CAN BE USED EFFECTIVELY FOR ALL CONTENT AREAS.

THANK YOU.