Indicators of Completer Effectiveness

CAEP Impact Measure 1

Measure 1: Completer Effectiveness (Component R4.1 - Initial)

Mississippi State University (MSU) College of Education (COE) partnered with school district administrators to obtain data regarding completer effectiveness through the Mississippi Professional Growth System (PGS). The Mississippi PGS is designed to improve student achievement by providing teachers and administrators with feedback to inform continuous improvement. The goals of the PGS are to:

Provide a shared vision of high-quality teaching and learning;
Guide educators in improving their practice;
Encourage regular, evidence-based observations and feedback;
Support teachers in identifying areas for growth; and
Serve as a resource for teacher self-reflection.

Within the PGS, the Teacher Growth Rubric (TGR) is used by the school administrator (principal) to evaluate teachers across four domains. The four domains are:

Domain I: Lesson Design;
Domain II: Student Understanding;
Domain III: Culture and Learning; and
Domain IV: Professional Responsibilities.

Teachers are rated on a scale of 1 to 4, with 4 representing the highest level of performance. The four levels of practice defined by the rating scale describe the effectiveness of the teacher.

Level 4 Practice: This teacher demonstrates advanced instructional practices, particularly those that foster student ownership of learning and the environment. Level 4 practices go above and beyond the expectations for an effective teacher.
Level 3 Practice: This teacher demonstrates effective instructional practices. Level 3 teaching is characterized by "teacher-directed success” while Level 4 teaching is characterized by "student-directed success.” Level 3 practices are expected of all effective teachers.
Level 2 Practice: A teacher demonstrating Level 2 practices is making attempts but does not fully demonstrate effectiveness. This teacher has potential to become effective, but requires clear, specific, and actionable feedback to improve his/her practices. A teacher whose practices are at Level 2 is a high potential teacher. High-quality feedback is essential in improving his/her practices.
Level 1 Practice: This teacher should receive immediate and comprehensive professional learning and support(s) designed to address the identified area(s) for growth.

As part of the evaluation process, administrators conduct a pre-observation meeting, schedule a classroom observation, and hold a post-observation conference with each teacher.