Improving Low-performing Schools - Guilford County Schools

1Improving Low Performing Schools:Teacher Transfer Data ReviewJune 21, 2018SHARON L. CONTRERAS, PH.D. SUPERINTENDENT

2GCS Board GoalsGoal I: The percentage ofstudents who will readproficiently by the end ofthird grade will increase to 63percentGoal II: 75% of incoming sixthgrade students will pass NCMath I with a C or better bythe end of their ninth gradeyearGoal III: To increase by 50percent the number ofschools that exceed growthGoal IV: Decrease theachievement gap betweenblack and Latino students andtheir white peers by 7percentage points

3Highly Effective Teachers Can Closethe Achievement Gap for GoodTNTP, 2012

4Each year, about 5% of teachers transfer between schools:this analysis looks at teacher transfer patternsTeacher MovementsTeachersTransferring5%On Average about 5% of teachers transfer toschool each yearSchool YearAll Teachers95%201520162017Total TransfersTeachersTransferring % Transferring277244281802Source: GCS files. Teacher transfer percent is an average of the last three years. Total teacher number is from TNTPdata file.5.4%4.9%5.7%5.3%

5Almost two-thirds of teachers transferring are not tenured:tenured and non-tenure teachers have similar EVAAS resultsOnly 1 in 3 transferringteachers are tenured – makingthem less experienced thanmost teachersEVAAS scores of tenured and non-tenuretransferring teachers are similar( EVAAS scores from year of transfer)46%41%No xpectationsMeetsExpectationsDoes not MeetExpectations10%11%Teachers withtenureTeachers withouttenureSource: GCS files. Note – EVAAS scores may not be available at the time of transferShould lowperforming,untenuredteachers beretained?

6Teachers who transfer have a range of performance levels,but are less likely to be high performersEVAAS scores of teachers who transfercompared to all GCS teachers( EVAAS scores from year of Exceeds Expected GrowthTeachers who transferare 1.5x less likely to behigh performersSource: GCS files.Meets Expected GrowthDoes Not Meet ExpectedGrowthTeachers who transferare 20% more likely tobe low performersAll GCSTeachersTeachers whotransfer

7Low performing teachers transfer into low performingschoolsSchool letter grade of sending and receivingschools of low performing transfers100%4%4%10%24%80%For comparison: School gradeof schools accepting highperforming transfers22%31%60%37%38% 24%40%46%23%20%60% of schools lowperforming teacherstransferred to receiveda D or F13%13%Transfer "From" SchoolTransfer "To" School0%FDCBA and A NG23%7%Transfer "To" School:Teachers Exceeding GrowthExpecations

8More teachers transfer into the lowest performing schoolsthan out of them, making them net receiversMore teachers transfer into each category of low performing schoolsNumber of teachers transferring out of low performing schools and into low performing schools over the last three years25 Lowest Performing Schools 29%Opportunity Culture SchoolsSchools with LowestPerformance Composite239 57%185 62%1219458Transfer out of Transfer intoTransfer out of Transfer into77Transfer out of Transfer into

9Overall, teachers transferring out of and into low performingschools perform similarlyThe performance profile of teachers transferring into and out of lowperforming schools is almost identical% of Teachers, by EVAAS category60%50%53%46%38%40%32%30%20%5%10%10% 10%6%0%No EVAAS dataExceeds ExpectedGrowthMeets ExpectedGrowthTeachers Transferring Out Of the 25 Lowest-Performing SchoolsTeachers Transferring Into the 25 Lowest-Performing SchoolsDoes Not MeetExpected Growth

10However, low performing schools receive more far more lowperforming teachers than high performersOverall, low performing schools accept more low performingtransfers than high performing transfersNumber of low and high EVAAS teachers transferring into schools, over the last three year25# of Teachers w/High EVAAS1499104Lowest Performing 25 SchoolsOverall, the 25 lowestperforming schools received79% more low performingteacher than high performersOpportunity Culture SchoolsLowest PerformanceComposite SchoolsHowever, the lowestperforming schools attractedalmost as many high EVAASteachers as low EVAASteachers# of Teachersw/Low EVAAS

11This is problematic, as low performing schools already havefar more low performing teachers than GCS overallEVAAS scores of teachers of low performing schools compared to other GCS teachers(Data for 25 Lowest-Performing Schools )70%61%65%60%50%40%30%24%20%21%15%14%10%0%Exceeds Expected GrowthSource: GCS filesAll GCSTeachersMeets Expected GrowthDoes Not Meet ExpectedGrowthTeachers in lowperformingschools

12Some low performing schools hire more low performingtransfers than othersThat chart below shows all transfers in 50 of the lowest 25 performing schools:Schools hiring 20% or more low EVAAS teachers are highlightedBased on the last three years* Not in the bottom 25, but added as it is an opportunity culture school

13Several “D” and “F” schools accept a disproportionalnumber of low performing teachersLow performing teachers are 10% of total transfers, but make up more than 20%of transfers for many low performing schools”D” and “F” schools that hired multiple low performing teachers 1No DataDoes NotMeetExpectedGrowthK-8 SCHOOL A23ELEMENTARY SCHOOL A3631250%MIDDLE SCHOOL A222633%ELEMENTARY SCHOOL B123633%MIDDLE SCHOOL B6441429%MIDDLE SCHOOL C3351127%ELEMENTARY SCHOOL C421825%ELEMENTARY SCHOOL D422825%MIDDLE SCHOOL D3371323%All D and F Schools1505015637813%Row otalTransfersHired% of Transfersnot meetingexpectedgrowth560%1) This chart only shows transfers to low performing schools hiring multiple low performing teachers. Not all low performing schoolsHighPerformingteachers makeup 10% oftransfers, butthese schoolsonly hired one.

14By contrast, “A” and “B” schools hire 2x more highperforming transfers than low performers”A” and “B” schools that accepted four or more transfers teachersRow LabelsHIGH SCHOOL AHIGH SCHOOL BHIGH SCHOOL CHIGH SCHOOL DMIDDLE SCHOOL AHIGH SCHOOL EMIDDLE (4-8) SCHOOL BHIGH SCHOOL FHIGH SCHOOL GELEMENTARY SCHOOL AMIDDLE SCHOOL CMIDDLE SCHOOL DHIGH SCHOOL HTotal: A and B Schools (includes all Aand B schools – only schools withsevers transfers are shownDoes NotMeetExpectedNo Data 112311MeetsExpectedGrowth73353221213221961% ofTransfers 9%90%90%825%714%70%60%60%40%40%40%40%148Many HighPerforming schoolsdon’t hire a singlelow performingtransfer teacher,but hire severalhigh performers5%19% of exiting teachers go to other NC schools, many within 20 miles of GCS

15Research Study: High Performing TransfersResearch DesignA recent seven-district study by the Institute of Education Sciences shows that it is possible to provide anincentive to high-value added teachers to transfer to lower performing schools. A transfer incentive of 20,000 over two years was offered for high performing teachers to transfer highneeds schoolsWho transferred 6% of eligible high performing teachers transferred: you need 16 eligible teachers for every position Mid-career teachers, those with the longest commute to current school and those with only a moderatelevel of difference in student demographics were most likely to transfer The most common reason for not transferring was satisfaction with current schoolResults High-performing teachers who transferred spent more time than other transfers mentoring otherteachers (25 minutes more per week) and were less likely to need mentoring The new teachers did not negatively impact school climate Transfers had a positive impact on student achievement in math and reading in elementary school–students increased 7 and 4 percentile points in the first year and 9 and 10 percentile points in the 2ndyear, in math and reading, respectively.

16Next StepsBegin transfer period in early springto allow internal staff an extendedperiod of time to consider positionswithin the district.Only allow 5% of a school’s licensedstaff to transfer during a transferperiod.Guaranteed transfers (surplus andchoice) will be based on employeeperformance and needs of the schoolrather than seniority. Seniority maybe considered only if all other criteriaare equal.Continue implementation of humancapital strategies includingOpportunity Culture to recruit highlyeffective teachers to low performingschools.

QuestionsSHARON L. CONTRERAS, PH.D. SUPERINTENDENT

More teachers transfer into each category of low performing schools Number of teachers transferring out of low performing schools and into low performing schools over the last three years 29% 57% 25 Lowest Performing Schools