Official Slow Down on SLOs

The SC Department of Education (SCDE) has received permission from the US Department of Education (USED) to delay until SY 15-16 the implementation of student learning objectives (SLOs) as the "student growth" piece of educator evaluation for "non-tested" grades and subjects. In her letter of August 21, Assistant Secretary Delisle indicated that USED was considering other flexibility on a state-by-state basis. The SCDE had requested the delay so that planning and training could be done in SY 14-15.

SCDE has not requested the other flexibility offered in that letter - the one year delay in using student test scores as the "student growth" measure in evaluation for those with "tested" grades and subjects.

The ESEA waiver originally required that both of these pieces be in place by the beginning of SY 14-15, i.e., right now. It's certainly a relief that SLOs are delayed. (The first official SCDE training starts September 11, 2014). Since we don't know what assessment will be given to students this spring (the law requires selection by September 30, 2014), it would make sense to request this other piece of flexibility. Value-added measures would still be calculated - they just would not be included in the "multiple years" of student growth used to evaluate teachers and principals. Only the State Superintendent is authorized to apply for this flexibility. Will he?