The key to improving student achievement is having effective, caring teachers. Iowa's Teacher Leadership and Compensation (TLC) plan focuses on teachers with unparallelled opportunity for collaboration, leadership, and growth. Indianola Community School District (ICSD) educators are proud to have been part of TLC from its inception, attending a 2013 legislative advocacy day in Des Moines. ICSD was the only district to have current teacher leaders at the legislative process on this day, advocating flexibility in implementation with key legislators. As a result of educators voices, the final bill allowed school districts to develop implementation models tailored to local needs.The goal of the ICSD is to provide the best possible opportunities for its students in order to maximize their learning. ICSD has a culture of teacher leadership with 2 instructional coaches, 33 lead teachers, and 2 mentor coordinators. This proposal was created by more than 26 individuals and will allow more teachers to lead. The committee developed a vision early in its work:The Indianola School District will create a teacher leadership system with multiple pathways that allow teachers to collaborate, model, mentor, and have a voice in decision-making for the purpose of teacher and student growth.  To make that system work, teacher leaders will be passionate, goal-oriented learners with a growth mindset focused on inspiring improvement.  They will respect and trust the expertise, professionalism, and individual circumstances of the teachers in our district, offering non-evaluative, confidential, and collaborative opportunities for individual teachers to work toward their own goals.  Teacher leaders will expect to learn from the teachers they work with as much as they aim to help.This reflects ICSD's TLC goals:Recruitment and retention of top educators through mentoringProvision of authentic, meaningful PD and integrated supports through coachingDevelopment of multiple pathways for leadership opportunities for teachers, with adequate compensation Promotion and sustention of professional learning communities (PLCs), enabling learning from othersCollaborative, continuous improvement of instruction in all K-12 classrooms, with systemic increases in student improvement    After analyzing leadership models from other states and Iowa's TLC legislation with the needs of students, staff and community in mind, the team concluded the Comparable Plan model would best build upon the teacher leadership in place. The resulting plan was influenced by the scholarship of Steve Barkley, Rick and Rebecca DuFour, Robert Eaker, Joellen Killion, Jim Knight, and Melinda Mangin, and will focus on many aspects of teacher leadership with a variety of full-time, part-time, and classroom-based teacher leadership roles. In addition to the current 33 lead teachers and 2 instructional coaches, the plan includes:1 teacher leadership coordinator - The coordinator trains and mentors teacher leaders and coordinates roles. The coordinator will have extensive background in adult learning, instructional coaching, curriculum/assessment leadership, and best practices. This person works with the curriculum director and is responsible for the success of the remaining 60 teacher leaders.6 added instructional coaches (total of 8) - Instructional coaches assist teachers with individual professional development and application of research-based best practices/instructional strategies through the use of Jim Knight's (2007) partnership principles and coaching routines.3 halftime AIW mentors - AIW mentors support teachers study and implementation of Authentic Intellectual Work processes and provide AIW training. 2 half-time mentor coordinators - Mentor coordinators coach/mentor new teachers as they teach during the day and coordinate induction activities for 1st/2nd-year teachers and their mentors.  10 teacher mentors - Teacher mentors will be assigned to 1st/2nd-year teachers from similar instructional areas and support content, school acclimation, and development of skills needed for teaching success.4 half-time teacher partners - Teacher partners enhance instructional skills of veteran teachers, helping to analyze practice through observation, data collection, and modeling. They may occasionally cover classrooms to allow veteran teachers to observe other teachers and facilitate changes based on these observations.33 lead teachers will support PLCs by serving as model teachers, opening their classrooms for observation of practices that elicit high levels of student learning. Lead teachers will receive targeted professional development and work with others to develop instructional practices at high capacity. Lead teachers will serve as a part of the District Leadership Team and facilitate collaboration among K-12 teacher teams and administration on districtwide work.The selection process involves 2 committees of teachers/administrators. Positions require internal candidates and most require 3 years of experience. Teacher leaders will be evaluated by principals, using rubrics with job duties aligned to the Iowa Teaching Standards. Formative, non-evaluative feedback will be given by the teacher leadership coordinator, who leads professional learning for these individuals on a weekly to monthly basis. Funding will ensure teacher leaders are in-house experts; instructional coaches will partner with lead teachers to provide large-scale PD as needed.This plan is woven into existing structures of leadership; therefore, implementation and sustention is easier, drawing from the existing knowledge base. The plan places its emphasis on people. Should state funding cease, ICSD would maintain the most effective roles in a limited capacity.

TLC planning grant funding allowed ICSD to develop a comprehensive teacher leadership program specific to local needs. Money from the planning grant paid for substitute teachers, which allowed the committee to meet during the school day. Funding was also used to compensate those who worked on the application beyond the contract day between meeting times. This included a subgroup of the TLC committee that reviewed the final grant application, incorporated feedback from the full committee, and polished the draft for final submission. Finally, funds were used to send committee members to instructional coaching workshops at the University of Kansas. In all, the TLC process included 5 meetings of the whole committee, 4 webinars, attendance at 2 conferences, and 4 work days for subcommittee members. In all, well over 100 hours of time were invested in this process. The TLC committee of 27 individuals met several times during the fall semester. All members held equal status in contributing to the plan. Elementary J. Tadsen, ArtR. Strub, 5thK. Schlomer, Inst. CoachD. Reinert, 4th K. Sorensen, 2ndS. Shaw, G/TK. Scott, 5th  Secondary K. Grissom, LAG. Southall, LA/IEA Union Pres.M. Carroll, SpedM. Richardson, BandL. Msuya, Literacy CoachB. Damman, SpedM. Clutter, MusicD. Dubczak, TechJ. Oliver, MathC. Stanley, LAB. Darrah, LAK. Turnball, Soc. Studies Administration/Community B. Carico, HS Principal M. Teigland, Supt. R. Lorenz, HRD. Moeller, Business Mgr.M. Tucker, School Board MemberD. Gabel, ParentM. Montgomery, AEA PLLCC. Slauson, Curric. Dir.  The committee examined national models of teacher leadership and discussed the benefits of each one. This included the work of well-known researchers Jim Knight and Joellen Killion.  Knight's partnership principles were a particularly strong fit with the culture of ICSD. A mission statement emerged from this work: The Indianola School District will develop differentiated teacher leadership roles within a collaborative culture that encourages trust, respect, and excellence.   The team voted to develop a local plan under Model 3, allowing a fit tailored to district school improvement plans, including PLC's, AIW, instructional coaching, and IPI. The team met four more times to review information from the AEA and the DOE, as well as refine the vision, roles, and job descriptions built into the plan. During a visit to the Teaching, Learning, Coaching Conference in Kansas, instructional coaches visited with Dr. Knight to clarify points in the committee's plan. Representatives of the TLC committee attended every planning day sponsored by Heartland AEA, including the grant review day for feedback from other districts. Finally, collaboration with the business manager ensured that a plan was developed which would fit within the boundaries of allocated funds and be sustainable over the long term. Engagement and communication was an important part of the TLC committee's process. Each stakeholder group was engaged as described below. K-12 Teaching Staff - A Top 10 Q & A about the TLC Program and Committee was shared to all staff members. Additionally, the TLC committee provided updates to district Lead Teachers at DLT and sought feedback from these individuals. Lead Teachers also presented the plan to every PLC within the district and sent written feedback to the TLC team. This feedback resulted in creation of the Teacher Partner position. Additionally, a survey was developed and sent to all new teachers and new teacher mentors from the past 3 years. The survey indicated more support during classroom teaching time would make an impact on student learning, so two teacher mentor coordinators were added to the TLC plan.   Community/Parent Input - Parents, community members, and administrators discussed the TLC plan and provided feedback at regularly scheduled SIAC (School Improvement Advisory Council) meetings. Administration/School Board - The TLC planning committee included a board member. The School Board Curriculum Committee was updated regularly and provided insight and suggestions for improvement. Additionally, district K-12 administrators were apprised of plan developments and provided feedback during their regularly scheduled administrative meetings. Administrator insights helped clarify job responsibilities for teacher leaders.  Input from all of these groups shaped the plan that ICSD submitted for approval. I have enjoyed being a part of the planning stages of something that is going to positively affect myself and our district. I have grown professionally throughout this process. - Cori Stanley, ICSD Teacher ICSD stakeholders are committed to this plan for teacher leadership. Excitement is evident among TLC committee members, DLT Lead Teachers, and educators in the district. Teachers express active interest in these roles, which are natural extensions of ICSD's strong commitment to professional learning through PLCs. Release time for teachers to complete the grant was supported by principals, who are excited about the possibilities. Principals have expressed support for teacher leadership within their buildings because the increased capacity will allow more teachers to be supported instructionally and diversity the leadership base.School board members have voiced support for this plan, which will increase teacher job satisfaction, teaching quality, and student achievement. Parents have seen the results of teacher leadership in increased student achievement in mathematics and reading.The community has steadfastly supported weekly early dismissals for several years allowing for teacher collaboration and growth.  Our District Leadership Team has given its support, and ICSD is ready to impact student achievement through expanded teacher leadership!

District Vision: “Proud Traditions. . . Unlimited Possibilities” TLC Vision: “The Indianola School District will create a teacher leadership system with multiple pathways that allow teachers to collaborate, model, mentor, and have a voice in decision-making for the purpose of teacher and student growth. ICSD’s TLC Goals: 1. Attract and retain new teachers 2. Promote collaboration through instructional coaching 3. Reward professional growth 4. Increase student achievement *The minimum salary required by the Iowa Task Force on Teacher Leadership and Compensation is met. District Academic Goals: The implementation of the TLC plan will positively impact the district’s academic achievement goals. The following goals will be reported to the State of Iowa on the Indianola CSD Annual Progress Report (AYP). Reading – Grade 4 During the 2014-15 school year the Indianola CSD will increase the number of students who are proficient in grade 4 by 1.9% on the Iowa Assessment reading test when compared to the number of proficient students in grade 3 during the 2013-14 school year. Science – Grade 8 During the 2014-15 school year the Indianola CSD will increase the number of students who are proficient in grade 8 by 1% on the Iowa Assessment science test when compared to the number of proficient students in grade 7 during the 2013-14 school year. Math – Grade 11 During the 2014-15 school year the Indianola CSD will increase the number of students who are proficient in grade 11 by 1% on the Iowa Assessment math test when compared to the number of proficient students in grade 10 during the 2013-14 school year. All other subject areas and grade levels not reporting to the State of Iowa will increase by 1% when compared to the previous year. 2013-14 Student Achievement Data: The following table indicates high levels of student achievement, which can be attributed to a focus on continuous improvement of instructional practices in the district. Grade 4 Reading: 17.2% low; 50.6% intermediate; 32.2% high Grade 4 Math: 14.2% low; 46.7% intermediate; 39.2% high Grade 4 Science: 8.3% low; 68.3% intermediate; 23.3% high Grade 8 Reading: 16.2% low; 17.7% intermediate; 9.2% high Grade 8 Math: 17.7% low; 49.4% intermediate; 32.8% high Grade 8 Science: 9.2% low; 67.9% intermediate; 22.9% high Grade 11 Reading: 12.7% low; 69.2% intermediate; 18.1% high Grade 11 Math: 10.8% low; 56.5% intermediate; 32.7% high Grade 11 Science: 11.9% low; 61.2% intermediate; 26.9% high The Indianola TLC plan expands current teacher leadership positions as described below. These positions are designed to achieve the state and district TLC goals. Teacher Leadership Coordinator - ICSD believes as teachers move from classrooms to leadership positions, training is needed to support their new roles. The Teacher Leadership Coordinator will support all teacher leaders with coaching and relevant professional learning provide training in the art of coaching and adult learning theory provide overall coordination of the positions facilitate teacher-leader Professional Learning Communities collaborate with stakeholders to ensure our TLC plan is followed and fits the needs of the district. Instructional Coaches - ICSD believes student outcomes can be improved with instructional coaches. Instructional coaches provide personalized collaboration with teachers focused on student learning outcomes. Coaching may involve facilitating team and small group professional learning, supporting implementation of new standards or curriculum, or improving teaching practices or assessments. Coaches will also support teachers in utilizing our district’s instructional framework. Teacher Mentor Coordinator - ICSD believes that to attract and retain new teachers, mentoring should be personalized and occur during the contract day. The Teacher Mentor Coordinator will provide coaching for new teachers in the classroom, support the development of new teachers’ portfolios for Iowa standard licensure, and provide feedback and data to demonstrate new teachers’ growth. Collaboration and Innovation Teachers - ICSD believes that full-time classroom teachers committed to taking risks, trying out new strategies, collaborating with colleagues and coaches, and sharing what they learn with other teachers is a powerful way to improve instructional practices in our district. C&I Teachers will be frontrunners in new initiatives, implement strategies and model for other teachers. Lead Teachers - ICSD believes through the use of Lead Teachers, communication between administration and teacher-led PLC’s will promote best instructional practices and increased student learning outcomes. Lead teachers will meet with building administration regularly to discuss learning needs, facilitate new learning in their PLC’s, and promote growth of teachers in each PLC.

ICSD’s plan includes varied full-release and classroom-based teacher leadership roles: a teacher leadership coordinator, teacher mentor coordinator, instructional coaches, Collaboration and Innovation teachers, and lead teachers. TLC funding supports development of teacher leadership through a Teacher Leadership Coordinator. This individual will coordinate professional development of teacher leaders in ICSD, contribute to a systems viewpoint to support professional learning of teachers and PLC teams, and promote the use of data within the district to encourage an environment of learning and growth. TLC funding supports and enhances Professional Learning Communities with Lead Teachers. In 2012, ICSD began districtwide implementation of teacher-driven teams based on adherence to the DuFour model for Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). Each PLC meets for 80 minutes during early-release time on Wednesday afternoons to focus on the district’s 5 guiding questions (based on the DuFour’s four corollary questions): What do we want all students to learn? How will we know if a student has learned it? How will we teach it? How will we respond when some students don’t know it? How will we extend and enrich the learning for students who have demonstrated proficiency? Lead teachers facilitate team work and meet regularly with building administrators to enhance two-way conversation regarding the work and impact of PLC teams as well as their needs. Lead teachers may request role-specific training as well as advocate for the professional learning needs of their team. TLC funding supports and enhances instructional coaching. ICSD has an instructional coach in each elementary building and two coaches in each secondary building. In addition, ICSD has two additional instructional coaches that can flexibly meet the needs of the district. For instance, one coach has worked with integrated core teachers across the district on unpacking and implementing new music, PE, and art standards approved by the State. The other coach has a secondary focus, working with teachers to help them better serve our exceptional learners (for example, ELL, G/T, and Special Education students). Jim Knight’s research, among others, has shown instructional coaching can have positive impacts on student achievement. All our coaches are focused on setting student-focused goals with teachers and measuring progress toward those goals with a variety of data tools. TLC funding supports and enhances the use of our instructional framework of Quality Instruction, defined by Authentic Intellectual Work and Gradual Release of Responsibility. Teams of teachers began studying AIW in the fall of 2011, a process that ensures rigorous, authentic learning. Additional professional learning around GRR put emphasis on providing multiple opportunities for students to engage in learning and demonstrate what they know. All instructional coaches receive additional training in AIW and GRR in order to support teachers in sustaining higher-order, authentic learning in the classroom and designing for student success. Collaboration and Innovation teachers demonstrate Quality Instruction in their classrooms and offer videos and and an open-door classroom for their colleagues to view. TLC funding supports and enhances work with the Iowa Core. Instructional coaches continue to support teachers in alignment of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to the Iowa Core. Lead teachers and Collaboration and Innovation teachers also lead this work in their PLC teams and as model classrooms. TLC funding supports K-3 literacy and Multi-Tiered Structures of Support. Indianola teachers work with instructional coaches or Heartland consultants to develop interventions and supports for students making minimal progress. Effective PLC teams use collaboration to address the differentiated needs of students. Teacher leaders work together with administration, at-risk coordinators, and other resources to provide optimum support for struggling students. TLC funding supports and enhances support of new teachers. ICSD supports a mentoring program that meets the requirements prescribed by the State of Iowa for 1st and 2nd year teachers. A full-time Teacher Mentor Coordinator supports all new teachers with job-embedded, individualized learning based on classroom data, video, and reflection. This coaching model uses student-focused goals and utilizes other layers of support such as building instructional coaches, PLC teams, and Collaboration and Innovation teachers. The coordinator also ensures that teachers are supported in fulfilling professional expectations, completing their teaching portfolio, and attaining standard licensure.

In accordance with guidance from the Iowa Department of Education, “Mentoring and Induction,” dated August 2017, ICSD proposes to revise its mentoring and induction plan to comply with Option 2, which states: “School districts may implement an approved career paths, leadership roles, and compensation framework (TLC) or approved comparable system as provided in Iowa Code section 284.15 that specifically addresses the needs of beginning teachers.” ICSD’s use of TLC to provide induction services for first- and second-year teachers on initial licenses (“initial teachers”) will consist of the following resources and approaches: Teacher Mentoring Coordinator (TMC) role. The TMC assists in the individualized professional development of new teachers by providing insight, perspective, and guidance about building and district policies and procedures, lesson design, instructional methods, assessment strategies, classroom management, effective communication, and other essential teaching functions. The mentor helps the novice teacher solve problems related to teaching and learning, shares resources and experiences, provides personal and professional support, and “…guide[s] the growth of the new teacher through reflection, collaboration, and shared inquiry,” (Freedman, M. and Jaffe, N (1993). Elder mentors: Giving schools a chance. National Association of Secondary School Principals Bulletin.). The TMC observes in an initial teacher’s classroom at least twice per month and more frequently when possible. The TMC tailors observations during the visits to the needs specific to initial teachers and aligned to the Iowa Teaching Standards. The TMC videotapes lessons during observations and meets with the initial teacher later for collaborative analysis, goal-making, and follow-up. The TMC completes this work with an initial teacher until he/she successfully completes the transition to a standard teaching license. Collaboration and Innovation (C&I) teacher roles. The C&I teachers agree to serve as points of contact and support. They also serve as observation classrooms for initial teachers. The TMC arranges visits to C&I teacher classrooms as necessary to facilitate the growth of each initial teacher's instructional goals as collaboratively determined by initial teachers and the TMC. C&I teachers work with instructional coaches throughout the year on strategies related to key district processes and initiatives. Instructional Coaches. The instructional coaches make specific contact with new teachers in their buildings. Instructional coaches contact these teachers throughout the year to ensure their needs are being met as they move forward in their career. This provides a “bridge” of support; relationships with instructional coaches will ensure that TLC support continues when initial teachers move out of mentoring and induction.

Indianola Schools propose approximately 92 teacher leadership positions to enhance teaching and learning, which is well above the good-faith requirement of identifying 25% of certified teaching staff for leadership positions. Teacher Leadership Coordinator This position is an intensive resource for teacher leaders (instructional coaches, teacher mentor coordinator, collaborating and innovation teachers and lead teachers) and will ensure the success of teacher leaders in ICSD. * Provide training and mentoring for teacher leaders * Coordinate differentiated district professional development * Support district and curricular initiatives * Support teacher leaders in the use of adult learning theory * Be available to model teaching and coaching routines for other teacher leaders * Collaborate with building principals, the curriculum director, other administrators, teacher leaders, and teacher teams to coordinate district efforts. The TLC committee believes that this position is vital to the success of all other teacher leadership positions in the district and is a "must have". Although this is a new position it has emerged as the highest priority. 1 position 100% time in leadership 15 additional days, 0% direct student instruction The Teacher Leadership Coordinator position will be the linchpin of the teacher leaders in the district. This person will be responsible for meeting with building administrators during the year. During the meetings, the TLC will review with administrators how they can work more productively with teacher leaders in their building. They will discuss how to ensure teacher leaders are focusing on strategies to help buildings reach academic goals. The TL Coordinator will also be responsible for orientation and ongoing training of all teacher leaders. The TL Coordinator will work directly with the curriculum director to ensure close alignment with the district mission, vision and goals. Instructional Coach Work with teachers utilizing Jim Knight’s effective, research-based Impact Cycle coaching model. Instructional coaches will help teachers establish current reality, set student-focused goals, choose and learn strategies to achieve that goal, and then support the teachers until their goals are met. Instructional coaching may look like: * Researching and learning strategies that will meet the needs of classroom teachers * Videoing or gathering classroom data * Assisting teachers in differentiating instruction and selecting the best strategies for learning * Co-teaching or collaborating to problem-solve * Modeling effective teaching strategies * Providing non-evaluate feedback * Engaging in deep reflection with teachers. At least 9 full-time positions 100% time in leadership 10 additional days, 0% direct student instruction Teacher Mentor Coordinator This individual will support teachers on initial teacher licenses, third-year teachers, veteran teachers new to the school district, and teachers who transfer roles within the school district. * Work with assigned teachers during the school day, providing coaching and feedback during instruction * Facilitate observations with assigned teachers, C&I teachers, and other teachers which may include occasional class coverage. 1 position 100% time in leadership 10 additional days, 0% direct student instruction Lead Teachers Lead Teachers support the PLC process by collaborating with the administration on design, implementation and assessment of school change as well as leading their PLC teams to ensure they are focused on improving student learning. They ensure alignment and focus on school and district intended results. * Clarify what students are expected to learn * Collaboratively plan instruction to promote student learning * Monitor student achievement through the development of common assessments * Use student achievement data to identify the individual student learning needs and design interventions * Monitor the effectiveness of the PLC process and team outcomes * Promote regular dialogue between PLC teams members and other school leaders * Learn new instructional techniques and promote the use within each PLC. *Meet regularly with the building principal to articulate teacher needs and concerns. Approximately 50 positions 5% leadership, approximately 37 hours in meetings outside of the teaching day/year 95% student instruction Collaboration and Innovation Teachers (Approved by Iowa DE May 2016) The Collaboration and Innovation (C&I) Teacher is a classroom-based role that supports teachers new to the profession as well as veteran teachers who wish to see classrooms with innovative and research-based approaches “in action.” These teachers collaborate with instructional coaches, teacher partners, AIW coaches, and the Teacher Mentor Coordinator to provide classrooms where best practices are implemented, refined, sustained, and improved so that each building has a model classroom. *Mentor/model for teachers new to the profession, meeting with new teachers as needed *Implement, refine, sustain, and improve upon best practices and innovative teaching approaches. *Allow new and veteran teachers the opportunity to observe in his/her classroom regularly. *Participate in reflective conversations with other teachers and teacher leaders about what was observed in his/her classroom. Approximately 30 positions 5% leadership, approximately 80 hours outside of the teaching day/year 95% student instruction Instructional coaches, teacher mentor coordinator, lead teachers, C&I teachers, and the teacher leadership coordinator will all have the assignment of improving instruction by helping teachers to do their best in the classroom. Although each of these roles may have a different focus, they will all work in synchronization with each other. Instructional coaches will work in classrooms to enhance and improve teachers’ instruction through teacher-chosen goals and the coaches’ knowledge and expertise in our district’s instructional framework and current research in best practices. The mentor coordinator will make sure new teachers and other assigned teachers have information, materials, and time to ensure quality instruction. The mentor coordinator will also provide feedback to new teachers in their classrooms during coaching cycles that occur during the contract day. C&I teachers will partner with instructional coaches to study and implement research-based instructional strategies and serve as model classrooms for other teachers. The TLC coordinator will support the learning and development of all teacher leadership positions as well as curriculum, assessment, and professional development work within the school district. All of these teacher leaders will work closely with the building principals and Director of Teaching and Learning. The building principals will collaborate with teacher leaders to review building student achievement data and goals. Together, they will determine action steps for coaching and mentoring to improve instruction. The Director of Teaching and Learning will work with teacher leaders to develop a strong vision for support of district professional development, new curriculum implementation and coordinating training outside the district. Lastly, all coaching positions will meet on a regularly occurring basis for their own professional learning community. The Teacher Leadership Coordinator will work with teacher leaders on developing good coaching skills and will provide and receive feedback from teacher leaders to ensure that all components of the system are working well and are functionally integrated. The final group of teacher leaders in the district plan is the lead teachers. This group has a completely different responsibility for the district, but a shared vision--school improvement. Lead teachers will meet regularly with their building principals. Lead teachers will offer feedback to principals regarding the instructional improvement strategies being implemented in their PLC team. Lead teachers and principals will collaborate to answer questions, address concerns, and make progress toward building goals. Indianola students are dismissed each Wednesday at 2 pm so teachers have 80 minutes to work on answering 5 questions of the Indianola PLC process: 1) What is it we want all students to learn? 2) How will we know if each student has learned it? 3) How will we teach it? 4) How will we respond when some students don’t know it? 5) How will we extend and enrich the learning for students who have demonstrated proficiency? The district will survey teacher leaders and teaching staff annually to get feedback on how the district can improve teacher leadership positions.

We offer a variety of teacher leader positions in our district and we want to encourage teachers to apply for those roles so we can build leadership capacity throughout the district. In order to do that, we need to make sure that our application process is accessible to all. However, we also want to ensure that we are selecting effective teachers to these roles and meeting the criteria of the TLC legislation. For all roles, we will require the following: 1. Confirmation of required years of experience. Candidates for classroom-based roles must have at least 3 years of teaching experience and at least one year of experience at ICSD. Candidates for full-release roles must have at least 5 years of teaching experience and at least three years at ICSD. 2. A letter of application expressing the teacher’s interest and any strengths or rationale they would like to share with the selection committee 3. Artifact(s) and reflection to demonstrate measures of effectiveness in the teacher’s current role. These may be related to our instructional framework, collaboration, videos of instruction, classroom data, etc. 4. Artifact(s) and reflection to demonstrate professional growth in the teacher’s current role. This can include Individual Career Development plans, course or training completion, coaching cycles, PLC cycles, etc. A team comprised of at least as many full-time classroom teachers as administrators will review the application materials and use a scoring rubric to evaluate artifacts and reflection. The team will conduct interviews if necessary, and a recommendation will be submitted to the Director of Teaching and Learning who will make the final determination. Each teacher leader will be reviewed annually to ensure they continue to meet the role responsibilities and criteria. Teacher leaders will submit evidence of their leadership work and a reflection regarding their strengths and areas for growth. Peer feedback will also be gathered from teachers who work with each teacher leader. Building principals will review the submissions for classroom-based roles while the Director of Teaching and Learning will review submissions for full-release roles. In addition to the annual review, all full-time TLC leaders will be formally evaluated every three years by the Director of Teaching and Learning. They will be evaluated using the Teacher Leader Model Standards crosswalked with the Iowa Teaching Standards.

Indianola CSD functions as a professional learning community and is committed to the belief that its fundamental purpose is learning. Rather than through mass district professional development, professional learning takes place weekly during 80 minutes of team collaboration where teams examine the five district established questions: 1. What do we want all students to learn? 2. How will we know if each student has learned it? 3. How will we teach it? 4. How will we respond when students don’t know it? 5. How will we extend and enrich the learning of those who already demonstrated proficiency? Lead teachers meet regularly with building principals to discuss learning needs. They may also collaborate with other Leads, coaches, and the Teacher Leadership Coordinator to engage in learning in order to better support their team. Lead teachers ensure their teams help students progress in essential standards translated into student-friendly language and determine sequencing and pacing of curriculum (PLC question 1). Lead teachers also work with their team to create and analyze common assessments (PLC question 2). Lead teachers help PLC teams examine teaching methods/strategies for effectiveness, focus discussions about use of best practices, and assist with differentiation. (PLC question 3). Lead teachers help their teams plan for students who need intervention and extension (PLC question 4 and 5). Instructional coaches and the Teacher Mentor Coordinator are trained to support teachers in their implementation of quality instruction, including reviewing student achievement data. Instructional coaches will have their regular PLC meeting to allow for professional growth and development of adult learning skills. The above process will be used for all work throughout the school year because it is more effective than mass professional development sessions. However, during the times that whole-group training is necessary, instructional coaches, Collaboration and Innovation Teachers, and Lead teachers all provide input, planning, and facilitation for effective and relevant professional learning. Collaboration and Innovation Teachers (C&I) are an important part of professional learning in our district. They set innovation goals, collaborate with each other, their principal, and/or their coach to implement new strategies in their classroom. Building professional development days are one outlet for them to share what they are learning with colleagues, but they also share through their PLC team and personalized support. The Teacher Mentor Coordinator and instructional coaches also utilizes C&I teachers’ open doorways when new or career teachers want modeling of various instructional practices. Our district’s PLC cycles and coaching cycles all mimic the Iowa Professional Development Model in their focus on continuous improvement. Teachers in both of these formats begin with goal-setting that leads to learning and implementation followed by reflection and evaluation.

To determine the effectiveness of the TLC plan, Indianola Community School District will use the following information for each goal: Goal 1 - Attract and Retain Teachers a. Indianola CSD will retain its new staff members at a rate equal to retention of all its staff members. To review this goal, we will look at longitudinal data to see if the teachers we hire are remaining in the profession at the 1-, 3-, and 5-year marks at a rate equal to all district teachers. We will conduct regular feedback surveys of our new teachers (both to the field and to the district) to be sure we are providing needed support. The Teacher Mentor Coordinator will regularly discuss feedback with the Teacher Leadership Coordinator and make adjustments as needed. We will also survey all district teachers annually to consider their needs and support; their retention is important to us as well. Retaining teachers offers stability for students and provides a return on investment. If we find the new teacher retention rate is progressively declining, we will convene a TLC Advisory Team to make recommendations for redesigning our new teacher support. Goal 2 - Collaboration a. Collaboration with teacher leaders will enhance professional learning and support the achievement of student-focused goals in the classroom. To review this goal, instructional coaches will track the number of student-focused goals set by teachers and their progress toward those goals. We will also keep data on the amount of time coaches are spending in high-impact coaching activity, aiming for Jim Knight’s recommendation of 70% Impact Cycle. If we find that teachers are not meeting their goals at least 75% of the time, that coaches are not spending the bulk of their time in high-impact coaching, or that collaboration is not happening in PLCs and with C&I teachers, the Teacher Leadership Coordinator will provide additional professional learning targeted at those goals and engage multiple stakeholders in feedback and conversation around increasing collaboration. Goal 3 - Reward Professional Growth a. At least 75% of Indianola TLC teacher leaders will re-apply for a subsequent year of appointment. b. C&I and Lead teacher roles will reward teachers who engage in professional growth and collaboration and give them the opportunity to share their learning and/or lead their colleagues. To review subgoal A, we will examine the re-application rate of TLC teacher leaders for a position in the subsequent year. For stability in the program, it is desired that at least three-fourths of the TLC leaders in a current year would reapply and be re-appointed for the following year. To review subgoal B, we will examine the collaboration of C&I and Lead teachers with their colleagues, consider their role in professional learning, and examine feedback from teachers who work with them. If we find that we are not meeting these goals, we will gather feedback from teacher leaders, adjust teacher leader training and support, or meet with a TLC Advisory team to problem-solve. Goal 4 - Student Achievement a. Teacher leadership positions will have a positive impact on student performance. To examine this goal, we will consider both state assessment data and classroom-based data. We will gather student achievement data tied to coaching cycles, C&I teacher goals, and/or PLC team cycles. As a district we are always monitoring student growth on state assessments. The Teacher Leadership Coordinator will share classroom student achievement data with principals and district teachers at least annually. If we find areas of concern regarding student achievement, district administration, the TLC Coordinator, and other TLC leaders will examine the concerns and build a plan of action to provide building and teacher support in those areas.

This TLC plan is woven into structures already embedded in the district. Implementation is made easier by the fact that several leadership roles are already functioning. Sustainability plans include: Sending coaches to instructional coach training Providing curriculum and instructional supports for teacher leaders Communicating with stakeholders and constant review Utilizing a coordinator to provide support and training to teacher leaders Providing documents that show examples and non-examples of each role’s duties for administrators, teacher leaders, and teachers Establishing trust with teachers to encourage voluntary teacher-driven, student-centered use of supports Encouraging teachers with coaching and leadership potential to apply Evaluating roles and using feedback from stakeholders to adjust as needed Filling teaching positions vacated by full-release teacher leaders The district will provide professional development to ensure teacher leaders are continually growing. The Teacher Leadership Coordinator will be important in the success of the TLC plan and will receive specific professional development related to that role. Other teacher leaders will also engage in professional learning related to their roles. An example of a successful district initiative is the district’s commitment to highly functioning Professional Learning Communities (PLC). “The rise or fall of the professional learning community concept depends not on the merits of the concept itself, but on the most important element in the improvement of any school—the commitment and persistence of the educators within it” (Marzano, 2003). ICSD is committed to ensuring that all students learn, working in a collaborative teaching culture and focusing on results. The board and parents support the implementation of weekly collaboration time. The superintendent is committed to and supports the structures needed for PLCs. The Director of Teaching and Learning is committed to professional development that improves the work of PLCs. The building principals are committed to being involved each week in the collaborative teams. Teachers are committed to keeping the work they do each week to the five critical questions. We are in it together! The key staff members that provide the infrastructure responsible for the success of our TLC plan will be the Director of Teaching and Learning, the HR Director, building principals, and the Teacher Leadership Coordinator. The Director of Teaching and Learning will: Co-facilitate the TLC Focus Group and ensure all members understand the responsibilities of this role. Work directly with the Teacher Leadership Coordinator to provide and plan professional learning for each of the teacher leader groups. Meet regularly with building principals and the Teacher Leadership Coordinator to make sure teacher leaders are meeting district standards. Formally evaluate, reflect on individual professional goals, and conduct annual reviews of full-release teacher leaders. Ensure the integrity of TLC hiring practices for all TLC roles. The Human Relations Director will: Ensure all teacher leader candidate applications are screened to meet the qualifications defined in each job description. Provide final names of candidates to be hired in teacher leadership roles for board approval. The building principals will: Support teacher leaders as an important part of the building culture. Meet with the Teacher Leadership Coordinator as needed to make sure teacher leaders are meeting building needs. Meet regularly with instructional coaches to ensure coaching work is aligned with administrator vision and goals. Meet with classroom-based teacher leaders to address needs and plan building professional development. Develop and maintain structures that promote collaboration. The Teacher Leadership Coordinator will: Maintain the success of teacher leaders by working with all administrators and all teacher leaders to ensure district goals for the program are achieved. Co-facilitate the work of the TLC Focus Group and ensure all committee members understand the responsibilities of their role. Provide professional learning and guidance to all teacher leaders. Gather feedback and data to evaluate the success of the TLC program and progress toward program goals. Report program data and goal-achievement to all stakeholders. This plan invests its funding in people, as ICSD believes this is where maximum impact is achieved. Should TLC funding be phased out by the State, ICSD would evaluate its plan to determine which positions should be maintained in a limited capacity.

Amount used to raise the minimum salary to $33,500.:    0.00

Amount designated to fund the salary supplements for teachers in leadership roles.:    180378.00

Amount to cover the costs for the time teachers in leadership roles are not providing direct instruction in a classroom and to cover the costs when teachers are out of their classroom to observe or co-teach with another teacher (e.g. hiring emeritus, part-time, or full-time teachers).:    919453.00

Amount used to provide professional development related to the leadership pathways. Amount used to cover other costs associated with the approved teacher leadership and compensation plan. These costs must be itemized and described below and be approved by the Iowa Department of Education prior to implementation of your plan.:    65141.00

The majority of our TLC funding is invested in people. We are proud that over 25% of our teaching faculty serve in teacher leader roles. Because of that, most of our TLC funding goes to salaries and benefits for full-release teacher leaders and stipends for all teacher leaders in the district. Whatever funding is left is used to support quality professional learning for our teacher leaders and resources to ensure they can fill their roles in ways that positively impact students and achieve the goals of our TLC program.