Washoe Country School District
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Teacher Incentive Fund
Overview
The Washoe County School District applied for and received the Teacher Incentive Fund Grant, or commonly referred to as the TIF Grant, in the spring of 2010. The TIF Grant application was submitted to support the district's goals and objectives outlined in Envision WCSD 2015 - Investing In Our Future. The TIF Grant process is one put forth by the U.S. Department of Education to allow districts to reform and improve their schools, reporting the results to the Department of Education as a possible basis for use nationwide. The Washoe School District TIF Grant focuses on 11 objectives to be implemented at nine pilot schools identified as high-need schools based on low performance on standardized test scores.
T.I.F. Schools
- Duncan Elementary School (ES)
- Loder ES
- Smithridge ES
- Sun Valley ES
- Veterans ES
- Clayton Middle School (MS)
- Dilworth MS
- O’Brien MS
- Vaughn MS
Questions/Comments regarding TIF
We are committed to providing timely feedback and answering questions regarding the Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) Grant. If you have any questions, requests for information or comments on the TIF Grant, please click here. We will respond to each inquiry received.
Outstanding Educational Practice
Dilworth STEM Academy students participated in a program where students from across the United States are invited by NASA to create and conduct experiments from the ground up. Students will conduct experiments and use weather balloons to carry their ideas from their school sites to the upper reaches of the atmosphere, as high as 120,000 feet above the surface of the earth. To view the entire newsletter on the program the Dilworth STEM Academy student scientists are participating in, please click here.
Veterans Memorial Elementary STEM Academy 6th graders are enjoying a new approach to learning in 2011-2012. Each student has been equipped with a laptop, giving them access to a variety of resources to enhance their learning. Their laptops, Hewlett Packard NOBI Clamshells, are equipped with 2GB and the Microsoft Office package. Veterans Memorial Elementary STEM Academy serves 415 hard working Pre-K-6th students, with a population consisting of 87% minority, 92% impoverished and 60% speaking English as their second language. The teachers are highly motivated and passionate about doing great things for their students each day, keeping expectations high for all students. To read more about the Veterans Memorial Elementary STEM Academy’s use of computers please click here.
O’Brien Middle School's Student Leadership has for the first time ever received the SPIRIT OF NEVADA AWARD from the Nevada Association of student councils!!!! The Spirit of Nevada Award is the highest honor given to middle-level student councils by the Nevada Association of Student Councils. It is reserved for those councils that exceed typical school and community expectations.
There are eleven objectives written into the TIF Grant. The goals and objectives will have timelines added to track the progress of these items throughout the five years of the grant. The worksheet will be updated each time there is a change to the timeline or refinement of the goal or objective:
Principal/Assistant Principal Evaluation Process
The administrative evaluation process for principals and assistant principals is outlined below in the rubric handbook. The original power point used to train the Principal and Assistant Principals on the evaluation rubric is also provided below.
Teacher Evaluation Process:
As part of the TIF Grant objectives WCSD embarked on developing a new teacher evaluation rubric. In establishing this new rubric, over 90 people representing teachers, site administrators, district administrators, local universities, community members, and parents, came together over four days in April 2011, to work on a final product. The teacher evaluation rubric group used the Charlotte Danielson model as a starting point and refined the document to meet Nevada, as well as WCSD goals and objectives.
The final product was vetted by a sub-committee consisting of members who participated in the development of the new rubric. The final product was completed in June of 2011 and moved forward to be piloted at 17 WCSD schools during the 2011/2012 school year.
The nine TIF schools were joined by eight schools that volunteered for the pilot project and were selected to ensure District representation of all zones which make up WCSD. The schools listed below are the volunteer schools participating in the pilot project:
Elementary Schools: Cannan, Huffaker, Lenz, Smith (Alice), Taylor, Winnemucca
Middle School: Pine
High School: Wooster
Information is provided below to provide the viewer with background on the Teacher Evaluation Rubric, Training Schedules and Training Presentations on the Teacher Evaluation Rubric.
Teacher Evaluation Rubric
- Teacher Performance Standards
- Framework For Teaching-Critical Attributes and Possible Examples
- Teacher Evaluation Rubric Development Workshop-04/21/2011
- Measuring Teacher Effectiveness-04/22/2011
Teacher Evaluation Packet individual forms:
- Standard One Evaluation
- Standard Two Evaluation
- Standard Three Evaluation
- Standard Four Evaluation
- Post Probationary Standard Form
- Post Probationary Evaluation Cover Sheet
- Probationary Teacher Cover Sheet
- Track II
Training Schedules
- Teacher Evaluation Rubric Training for Site Administrators-updated 02/17/2012
- Initial Rubric Training and Student Achievement Training-updated 02/17/2012
Training Rubric Presentations
- Examining Standard 1-Part 1-Training 10/21/2011
- Examining Standard 1-Part 2-Training 12/09/2011
- Examining Standard 3-Part 1-Training 09/22/2011
- Standard Four Power Point Presentation-Training 01/13/2012
- Student Achievement Presentation-02/22/2012
Frequently Asked Questions
TIF Committees
Committee work is vital to the success of the TIF Grant. Committee participants contribute feedback and expertise in meeting the objectives of the grant. Listed below are current TIF Committees, a TIF Organizational Chart, a brief objective of each, members of the committees, time lines for completion of work and minutes from each of the meetings.
TIF Steering Committee
The TIF Steering Committee meets monthly to discuss the progress of the Teacher Incentive Fund Grant. The committee members provide feedback and suggestions in regards to the implementation of grant objectives.
Meetings
- TIF Steering Committee Agenda & Meeting Notes - October 7, 2011
- TIF Steering Committee Agenda & Meeting Notes - December 8, 2011
- TIF Steering Committee Agenda & Meeting Notes - January 26, 2012
- TIF Steering Committee Agenda & Meeting Notes - March 1, 2012
- TIF Steering Committee Agenda & Meeting Notes - March 29, 2012
- TIF Steering Committee Meeting - April 26, 2012
- TIF Steering Committee Meeting - May 31, 2012
Career Lattice Committee
The overall goal for the Career Lattice Committee was to develop Master Teacher and Lead Site Mentor Teacher incentives for teachers who wish to retain their primary role as a classroom teacher, while striving to serve in leadership roles at their site.
The Career Lattice incentives were completed in late March 2012 and approved by the WCSD Board of Trustees on April 3, 2012. Career Lattice incentives will be implemented at each of the nine TIF sites for the 2012-2013 school year. To view the packet received by site principals explaining the Career Lattice incentives please click here.
Time Lines and Committee Members
Pay for Performance
Pay for Performance incentives is part of the District objectives outlined in the strategic plan Envision WCSD 2015-Investing in Our Future and part of the TIF grant objectives. At its April 3 meeting, the Washoe County School District Board of Trustees approved agreements with three employee associations to provide performance pay incentives for employees at the nine TIF designated schools. To read the April 4, 2012 press release on Pay for Performance please click here.
TIF site principals were provided an informational sheet to inform staff members of the Pay for Performance incentive. To access the informational sheet please click here.
Rubric Implementation Steering Committee
The Rubric Implementation Steering Committee is in place to provide guidance and feedback in implementing the Teacher Evaluation Rubric. Currently, the committee is working on implementation of the scoring rubric tied to the the Teacher Evaluation Rubric. Current meeting minutes are listed below to track progress of committee work.
Time Lines and Committee Members
TIF Data Meeting
Weekly meetings review data needs and objectives related the the TIF Grant. The purpose of the group is to ensure all data gathering, data goal setting, and data review are in accordance with the TIF Grant objectives.
Time Lines and Committee Members
- Meeting Minutes - January 11, 2012
- Meeting Minutes - January 18, 2012
- Meeting Minutes - January 25, 2012
- Meeting Minutes - February 02, 2012
Initial Survey Results
WCSD has contracted with Interactive, Inc. to provide outside evaluator services for the TIF Grant. The initial survey results will create a baseline of data from which progress on the grant can be studied. To view the survey, please click here.
Related Articles/Information
"5 Tell-Tale Signs You're Becoming a Teacher Leader"
U.S. Department of Education Annual Report
US Department of Education, December 1, 2011 Annual Report
Other educational links:
Access the U.S. Department of Education, TIF Grant website at: http://www.ed.gov/programs/teacherincentive/index.html
Access the Nevada Growth Model Website at: ngma.doe.nv.gov
Access information on the Nevada Teachers and Leaders Council at:
www.doe.nv.gov/Teachers_LeadersCouncil.html
Contact Information
Ken Whittemore
Teacher Incentive Fund Coordinator
775-348-0338 kwhittemore@washoeschools.net
