Robbinsdale Area Schools:

Performance Standards for Teacher Practice: Instructional Specialists (TOSAs)

Domain 1: Planning. The educator plans effective support for learners.
INDICATOR 1A: Educator aligns learner support with professional standards of practice.
What will you plan?
Elements

Development Needed

Developing Proficiency

Proficient

I. Plans services, supports

and programs that help
learners develop
appropriately
II. Aligns support for
learners to professional
standards

*There is very little or no

evidence of planning.

*Evidence of planning is
inconsistent.

*Evidence of planning is
consistent.

*Support is not aligned to

professional standards.

*Support is inconsistently
aligned to professional
standards..

*Support is consistently aligned

to professional standards.

III. Applies understanding

of learners to professional
practice
IV. Uses results and data
from multiple sources to
guide planning

*Limited knowledge of
learners is evident.

*Knowledge of learners is
evident, but inconsistently
applied.
*There is inconsistent
evidence that planning has
been informed by data.

*Knowledge of learners is
evident and consistently
applied.
*There is consistent evidence
that planning has been
informed by multiple data
sources.

*There is very little or no

evidence that planning has
been informed by data.

Notes/Reflection
P

INDICATOR 1B: Uses content, resources, and knowledge to design coherent instruction or services
Adapted from Minnesota Default Model for Teacher Growth and Evaluation: Performance Standards for Teacher Practice, (2013)
and from Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching, (2007).

How will you deliver instruction and/or provide services?

Elements
Development Needed

Developing Proficiency

Proficient

*Very little or no evidence of

research in standards and
field-specific knowledge, and
application of necessary laws
in developing goals,
programs, and delivery
in professional domain.

*Requisite strategies,
services and/or learning
activities support the learning
targets, however may be
unorganized or lacking
coherence.
*Inconsistent evidence of
research in standards and
field-specific knowledge, and
application of necessary
laws in developing goals,
programs, and delivery
in professional domain.

*Requisite strategies, services

and learning activities support
the learning targets, are well
organized and designed to
facilitate learner construction of
knowledge.
*Consistent use of research in
standards and field-specific
knowledge, and application of
necessary laws in developing
goals, programs, and delivery
in professional domain.

III. Integrates appropriate

technology in the program
to maximize services
provided to participants
and families

*Educator does not utilize

available resources.
There is little or no use of
available technology and/or
other resources beyond the
core resources that may be
appropriate to the lesson or
services.

*Educator makes
inconsistent use of available
resources within the school,
district and/or community.
*Educator inconsistently uses
technology to present
information to learners where
appropriate.

IV. Designs culturally

relevant instructional
strategies and/or supports

*Requisite activities and/or

instructional strategies
demonstrate a lack of
understanding/application of
learners skills, interests,
cultural backgrounds,
language proficiency and/or
exceptionalities.

*Requisite activities and/or

instructional strategies are
informed by some of the
following: knowledge of
learners skills, interests,
cultural backgrounds,
language proficiency and/or
exceptionalities..

*Educator makes consistent

use of available resources
within the school, district and/or
community.
*Educator consistently uses
technology to present
information to learners, and to
promote increased
engagement and deeper
conceptual understanding
where appropriate.
*Requisite activities and/or
instructional strategies are
informed by knowledge of
learners skills, interests,
cultural backgrounds, language
proficiency and
exceptionalities.

I. Designs coherent
instruction or services

*Requisite strategies,
services and/or learning
activities do not support the
learning targets.

II. Uses current research in

standards and fieldspecific knowledge, and
applies necessary laws in
developing goals,
programs, and delivery

INDICATOR 1C: Plans for assessment and differentiation

How will you measure if instruction and/or services were effective?
Elements
Development Needed
Developing Proficiency

Proficient

I. Plans appropriate
assessments using
applicable methods to assess

*Plans indicate consistent use

of assessment, and diagnosis
of learners knowledge and

*Plans indicate limited

understanding of the role of
assessment.

*Plans indicate inconsistent

use of assessment.
*Plans indicate that

Notes/Reflection
P

Notes/Reflection
P

Adapted from Minnesota Default Model for Teacher Growth and Evaluation: Performance Standards for Teacher Practice, (2013)
and from Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching, (2007).

learner
growth/progress/developmen
t

II. Plans for differentiation of

learning and/or service

assessment is inconsistently
aligned with learning
target(s) or professional
responsibilities.
*Plans demonstrate that
assessment is primarily done
by the educator with limited
opportunity for selfassessment and reflection
by learner where
appropriate.

*Very little or no evidence of

differentiation of learning
experiences, content,
assessments or service
based on learner data or
otherwise documented
learner needs.

*Inconsistent evidence of
differentiation of learning
experiences, content,
assessments or service
based on learner data or
otherwise documented
learner needs.

skills before onset of

instruction, where appropriate.
*Plans indicate the use of
assessment data appropriate
to identified learning target(s)
or professional responsibilities.
*Plans indicate that
assessment data gathered
during instruction guides future
instruction.
*Clear criteria for proficient
work, including rubrics and
exemplars, is presented where
appropriate.
*Opportunities for learner selfassessment and goal-setting
are identified, where
appropriate.
*Planning of differentiation is
consistently based on learner
data and/or otherwise
documented learner needs
and takes into consideration
the learning experiences,
content, assessments or
service.

Adapted from Minnesota Default Model for Teacher Growth and Evaluation: Performance Standards for Teacher Practice, (2013)
and from Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching, (2007).

NOTES: Indicator 1A: Ms. not only uses the state standards to drive the training she provides teachers - she has also aligned those standards to curriculum
frameworks and resources, including the Daily 5 and C.A.F.E. frameworks. Ms. meets with principals, coaches and teachers and reviews state (MCA, MCA
Benchmark Data) and local (MAP, FAST) assessment data to determine needs of staff and plan professional learning accordingly.
Feedback: Continue to build capacity in coaches and teacher leaders to take on standards alignment and make meaning of frameworks and curriculum
alignment in order to inform instruction. Consider building a cohort of teacher leaders who can be a pillar in their building for staff.
Indicator 1B: During her facilitation at Forest Elementary on March 7th, Ms. reviewed the implementation timeline and learning walk data to determine next
steps in implementation training. She aligned all activities and interactions during this training to the stated learning targets. Further, she had staff reflect on
their implementation and self-rate where they felt their proficiency was in each of the targets for the day. Using that data, Ms. was able to adjust the pacing of
the training. Each learning target was followed up with research from multiple sources to provide meaning for staff on the purpose and effect of direct
instruction. Watching the staff response showed that this was new information and helped convince them this implementation is the right direction.
Indicator 1C: Ms. has been immersed in the culture at Forest Elementary and understands the strengths and needs of the teachers in the building. While
teachers are beginning to take risks and try new strategies, there is a fear of failure and of being called out by peers. Ms. utilized a Write, Pair, Share to
provide a scaffolded way for staff to talk about their implementation, and to encourage staff to draw on the knowledge of each other, rather than turn only to Ms.
for support. Staff were fully engaged in this process throughout the independent writing, pairing, and sharing - and I believe took more risks in their sharing
because of this scaffold.

Domain 2: Environment. The educator creates and implements a physical and interpersonal classroom environment that supports learning
Elements
Unsatisfactory
Basic
Proficient
Notes/Reflection
I. Creating an environment Teachers are reluctant to
Relationships with the
Relationships with the
P
of trust and respect

request assistance from the

instructional specialist,
fearing that such a request
will be treated as a sign of
deficiency.

instructional specialist are

cordial; teachers dont resist
initiatives established by the
instructional specialist.

instructional specialist are

respectful, with some contacts
initiated by teachers.

II. Establishing a culture for

ongoing instructional
improvement

Instructional specialist
conveys the sense that the
work of improving instruction
is externally mandated and is

Teachers do not resist the

offerings of support from the
instructional specialist.

Instructional specialist
promotes a culture of
professional inquiry in which
teachers seek assistance in

Adapted from Minnesota Default Model for Teacher Growth and Evaluation: Performance Standards for Teacher Practice, (2013)
and from Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching, (2007).

not important to school

improvement.

improving their instructional

skills.

No norms of professional
Instructional specialists
Instructional specialist has
P
conduct have been
efforts to establish norms of
established clear norms of
established; teachers are
professional conduct are
mutual respect for professional
frequently disrespectful in
partially successful.
interaction.
their interactions with one
another.
IV. Organizing Physical
Instructional specialist makes The physical environment
Instructional specialist makes
P
space for workshops or
poor use of the physical
does not impede workshop
good use of the physical
training
environment, resulting in
activities.
environment, resulting in
poor access by some
engagement of all participants
participants, time lost due to
in the workshop activities.
poor use of training
equipment, or little alignment
between the physical
arrangement and the
workshop activities.
NOTES: Ms. is well-respected by teaching staff and administration. She serves as a warm demander as she consistently provides guidance in standards and
research based instruction. Through bi-weekly newsletters, document sharing in Schoology, and email updates, Ms. keeps the focus on quality literacy
instruction. During the session at Forest, Ms. circulated the room to check for understanding - but kept a distance in order to keep the conversations between
staff. When redirection was needed, teachers were very comfortable seeking Ms. s input, as relationships had already been established through a series of
visits to the building.
III. Establishing and
maintaining norms of
behavior for professional
interactions

As Ms. shared clarifying information on rounds, she asked questions to check for understanding - and some teachers comfortably shared. I would encourage
Ms. to invite more voices into the room during whole group sharing, as there was a tendency for the same staff to share each time. Setting up norms of
sharing, and utilizing a strategy for whole group share out might assist in gathering a wider array of staff voice.

Domain 3: Delivery of Service. The educator engages participants in learning and utilizes instructional strategies that help participants
understand content.
Adapted from Minnesota Default Model for Teacher Growth and Evaluation: Performance Standards for Teacher Practice, (2013)
and from Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching, (2007).

Elements

Development Needed

I. Collaborating with
teachers in the design of
instructional units and
lessons

Instructional specialist
declines to collaborate with
classroom teachers in the
design of instructional
lessons and units.

Developing Proficiency

Proficient

Notes/Reflection

Instructional specialist
Instructional specialist initiates
P
collaborates with classroom
collaboration with classroom
teachers in the design of the
teachers in the design of
instructional lessons and
instructional lessons and units.
units when specifically asked
to do so.
II. Engaging teachers in
Teachers decline
Instructional specialists
All teachers are engaged in
P
learning new instructional
opportunities to engage in
efforts to engage teachers in
acquiring new instructional
skills
professional learning.
professional learning are
skills.
partially successful, with
some participating.
III. Sharing expertise with
Instructional specialists
The quality of the
The quality of the instructional
P
staff
model lessons and
instructional specialists
specialists model lessons and
workshops are of poor quality model lessons and
workshops is uniformly high
or are not appropriate to the
workshops is mixed, with
and appropriate to the needs of
needs of the teachers being
some of them being
the teachers being served.
served.
appropriate to the needs of
the teachers being served.
IV. Locating resources for
Instructional specialist fails to Instructional specialists
Instructional specialist locates
P
teachers to support
locate resources for
efforts to locate resources for resources for instructional
instructional improvement
instructional improvement for instructional improvement for
improvement for teachers
teachers, even when
teachers are partially
when asked to do so.
specifically requested to do
successful, reflecting
so.
incomplete knowledge of
what is available.
V. Demonstrating flexibility Instructional specialist
Instructional specialist makes Instructional specialist makes
P
and responsiveness
adheres to his plan in spite of modest changes in the
revisions to the support
evidence of its inadequacy.
support program when
program when it is needed.
confronted with evidence of
the need for change.
Notes: One of the tools Ms. provided at Forest PD was a lesson planning template to plan for rounds. After demonstrating the purpose of the template, and
how to use it, she provided work time for PLCs to collaborate. As PLCs worked, Ms. circled to each group. Teachers were thinking critically about how to
address skill development and appropriate mentor texts. Teachers talked with each other about the need to slow down in their teaching and focus on one
strategy in a week. Teachers also reflected on using only part of a mentor text and why that is important. The realized the amount of time they were giving up
to read the entire text, and also the fact that after the skill was developed, the rest of the reading was not important to the lesson. Further, they were excited at
the prospect of hooking students into the book - to finish reading for themselves.
At the conclusion of the professional learning session, Ms. gave differentiated options for staff to move forward. After taking a quick vote to determine how to
proceed, Ms. pointed staff to online resources to learn more about the learning targets and offered to continue to work with PLCs and individuals as they refine
their practice. Staff smiled and nodded, showing their appreciation.

Adapted from Minnesota Default Model for Teacher Growth and Evaluation: Performance Standards for Teacher Practice, (2013)
and from Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching, (2007).

Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities. The educator participates in on-going professional development activities and collaborates with
colleagues and families to advance learning for teachers and students.
INDICATOR 4A: Reflects on teaching practice.
How do you reflect on your practice?
Elements
Development Needed
Developing Proficiency
Proficient
Notes/Reflection
I. Uses feedback to
*Feedback from PLCs and/or *Educator occasionally uses
* Educator regularly uses
P
improve practice

II. Plans for professional

growth

colleagues, administrators,
families, students and
professional literature is
resisted and/or does not
result in changes in
professional practice.
* Educator does not use
reflection and feedback from
PLCs and/or colleagues, or
administrators to plan for
professional growth.

feedback from PLCs and/or

colleagues, administrators,
families, students and
professional literature to
enhance professional
practice.
* Educator occasionally uses
reflection and feedback from
PLCs and/or colleagues, or
administrators to plan for
professional growth.

INDICATOR 4B: Engages in professional development.

How do you continue to improve your practice?
Elements
Development Needed
Developing Proficiency
I. Participates in
professional development

* Educator does not

contribute to or actively and
consistently participate in
professional learning
activities.

II. Collaborates with

colleagues regarding
student learning

* Educator resists
collaboration with colleagues
and detracts from
collaborative processes
when engaged in them.

* Educator provides evidence

of continual participation in
professional learning
activities.
* Educator implements some
practices from professional
learning activities.
* Educator collaborates with
colleagues to address
student needs identified by
data.

feedback from PLCs and/or

colleagues, administrators,
families, students and
professional literature to
enhance professional practice.
* Educator regularly uses
reflection and feedback from
PLCs and/or colleagues, or
administrators; and uses
lesson artifacts and student
data to plan for professional
growth and implements an
action plan to reach intended
targets.

Proficient

Notes/Reflection

* Educator provides evidence

of continual participation in
relevant professional learning
activities.
* Educator implements
practices from activities to
improve.
* Educator collaborates with
colleagues to analyze student
data, set focused goals, design
common assessments and
analyze student work.
*Collaboration results in
increased student learning and
effective instruction.

Adapted from Minnesota Default Model for Teacher Growth and Evaluation: Performance Standards for Teacher Practice, (2013)
and from Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching, (2007).

III. Contributes to school

and district culture of
learning

* Educator does not support

the culture for professional
learning.

* Educator occasionally
contributes to development of
a productive learning.

* Educator contributes to
development of a productive
learning environment.

INDICATOR 4C: Maintains professional responsibilities and communicates with families.

How do you conduct yourself as a professional?
Elements
Development Needed
Developing Proficiency
Proficient
I. Adheres to standards of
ethical conduct

* Educator is non-compliant
with school and/or District
policies and procedures.

II. Maintains accurate

records

* Educators records and

reports are inaccurate and/or
consistently late.
Educators record keeping
system demonstrates errors
or lack of professional
attention, or does not
adequately track student
progress.

III. Completes tasks in an

organized and efficient
manner

* Educator does not complete

required and/or routine
tasks/duties in a timely
manner.
* Educator has not
established a pattern of
communication with families
of appropriate frequency and
content.
* Educator has not
demonstrated establishing
positive relationships with
families.
* Educator rarely confers with
families to provide specific
feedback to inform them of
their students progress
* Educator demonstrates little
interest in acquiring
knowledge about or

IV. Communicates with

families

V. Understands the cultural

and linguistic backgrounds
of students, their families

Notes/Reflection

* Educator complies with

school and District policies
and procedures and acts in a
professional and ethical
manner.
* Educators records and
reports are basic and only
partially effective.
* Educators record keeping
system is incomplete,
inconsistent, and/or not done
in a timely manner.
* Educators record keeping
system tracks progress of
some learners.
* Educator sometimes
completes required and/or
routine tasks/duties.

* Educator complies with

school and District policies and
procedures and models high
standards of professional and
ethical conduct.
* Educators records are
reports are timely, complete
and accurate.
* Educators record system is
complete and consistent.
* Educators record keeping
system tracks progress of all
learners.

* Educator completes required

and/or routine tasks/duties in a
well-organized manner.

* Educator responds
appropriately to family
requests for communications.
* Educator interacts
appropriately with families.
* Educator sometimes
confers with families to
provide specific feedback to
inform them of their students
progress.

* Educator initiates interactions

with families that are
appropriate in frequency and
establish positive relationships
with families.
* Educator displays sensitivity
for families and involves
families in problem solving.
* Educator frequently confers
with families to provide specific
feedback to inform them of
their students progress.

DP

* Educator has some

experiences with students
home languages and cultures

* Educator seeks out

experiences with and
understanding of students

Adapted from Minnesota Default Model for Teacher Growth and Evaluation: Performance Standards for Teacher Practice, (2013)
and from Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching, (2007).

and the community

engaging in experiences that

expose her or him to
students home languages
and cultures.

and demonstrates some

home languages and cultures.
understanding of the
* Educator adapts instructional
importance of this
practices based on this
knowledge.
knowledge and experience.
* Educator understands how
this knowledge and
experience informs
instructional practice and
student achievement.
NOTES: Indicator 4A: Ms. routinely seeks feedback from teachers and principals on how she can better meet their needs. She flexibly adapts plans and
creates new documents and training to meet those needs. Further, she is a learner. She attends professional learning sessions throughout the year, reads
current research, and makes meaning of that research with other experts in the field and in RAS in order to put the learning into practice.
Indicator 4B: Ms. received MCA Benchmark Data from the REA department and immediately shared that data with instructional coaches. Through her
leadership, coaches reflected on the data and prioritized which data to respond to in partnership with their principal. Further, they discussed strategies to utilize
to improve student learning in areas where the data showed the greatest needs.
Indicator 4C: Ms. shares guiding documents with staff in multiple modalities, including email, Newsletters, Schoology and during meetings - such as
Instructional Coach and Principal meetings. When assigned projects such as budget write ups, 45-day plans, or organizing data to show how reading
implementation is improving instruction, Ms. completes the assignments before the due date and seeks feedback on her work.
Working in Central Office can pose challenges in terms of eliciting family feedback, as families are typically in the schools. However, Ms. is encouraged to
seek out family representation from a variety of backgrounds as she works toward district Literacy and Social Studies goals.
Ms. works closely with our EL, Special Education and Gifted staff in order to learn and incorporate best practices in supporting students in these populations
into Literacy instruction. Further, as she purchases materials for the district, she is adamant about purchasing only texts that accurately represent the students
we serve. Further, she seeks a variety of materials so that all students can find books that are engaging to them and where they see themselves represented
positively in the text.

Adapted from Minnesota Default Model for Teacher Growth and Evaluation: Performance Standards for Teacher Practice, (2013)
and from Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching, (2007).