VisionSouth Tama County Community Schools located in central Iowa educates more than 1600 students from the communities of Chelsea, Montour, the Meskwaki Settlement, Tama, Toledo, and Vining.  Our district has a strong Meskwaki, Hispanic, and Czech presence. District-wide 59.2% of our student population receives free and reduced lunch. The mission of the South Tama County (STC) Schools is to Provide a rich, academic, student-centered education which results in the success for all learners. STC's new teacher leadership and compensation (TLC) model will create leadership opportunities for teaching staff by enhancing instruction through professional collaboration, modeling, and coaching. As a district, we strongly believe enhancing instruction leads to increased student achievement.The district's vision for TLC  is to challenge all teachers and students to achieve at a high level, model what they have learned, and inspire others.  STC leadership and Compensation plan consists of the following goals:TLC GoalsSTC implementationImprove student achievement by strengthening instructionLearning is not a given it is an active process that requires the learner to ask questions, make connections, and apply learning to existing knowledge and new situations. Promote collaboration by developing and supporting opportunities for teachers in STC to learn from each other.Learners need clarity about what the learning goals are and the criteria for success to inform the development of their work through Professional Learning Community (PLC)  work, Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW) and School Improvement Teams (SIT). Cultivate professional growth and effective teaching by providing pathways for career opportunities that come with increased leadership responsibilities.Teacher leadership exists formally at STC in the form of the following: a  Mentoring/Induction program, Special Education instructional coach, and School Improvement teams. The district will continue to create new roles and avenues where teachers can develop and use leadership skills, providing enhanced career opportunities. Retain effective teachers by providing enhanced career opportunities.Our proposed TLC plan offers new opportunities at STC that provide similar professional challenges our teachers are leaving to pursue. We seek to decrease the percentage of teachers leaving the district in pursuit of other professional challenges and to provide more opportunities for teacher leadership to enhance student learning. Attract promising new teachers     by offering competitive starting salaries and offering short-term and long-term professional development and leadership opportunities.New teachers are hired at Step 5 of the salary schedule and moved to step 6 after one year of experience. All staff are eligible for $1000 stipend annually to pursue graduate level courses in their teaching area. Defining of Roles STC's Teacher Leadership and Compensation plan has Teacher RolesAdditional DaysTeaching AssignmentLength of AssignmentSalary SupplementInstructional Coach Facilitator (1)15100% out of classroom1 year$12,000/eachInstructional Coach (4)10100% out of classroom1 year$10,000/eachModel Teacher50% out of classroom1 year$2,000/eachMentor Teacher40% out of classroom2 years$1,000/eachNew Teacher20% out of classroomvaries $0Site Council (4)50% out of classroom3 year staggered term$2,000/each  Instructional Coach Facilitator will support the four instructional coaches and oversee the professional development needs of the district. Instructional Coaches will collaborate with teachers on best practice. Model Teachers will model best practice in the classroom and work with other teachers to improve instruction and implement district initiatives. Mentor Teachers will help new teachers as they work towards their standard license.  The Mentor teachers will demonstrate proficiency of the Iowa Teaching Standards, and have the ability to consult and assist new teachers.  Mentors will meet a minimum of once a month to collaborate with the mentees. The Mentor Teachers will work closely with Model Teachers to set up observations and reflection opportunities for new teachers in the district. New Teachers are new to the district or new to the profession. Site Council will screen, interview, and recommend an Instructional Facilitator, Instructional Coaches, and Model Teachers. This council will be involved in the annual review of teacher leadership roles and applications.

South Tama County School District (STC) spent over 200 cumulative hours planning for and developing a Teacher Leadership and Compensation (TLC) program. The TLC plan will support teacher learning and increase student achievement while providing teachers the opportunity to serve in expanded leadership roles This process has 100% support from certified staff, school board, administration, and community members participating in the School Improvement Advisory Committee (SIAC).In November 2013, a committee of three administrators and six teachers was formed to explore if this grant was a viable option for our district. The group decided to pursue the grant. The committee then established norms and discussed group roles.  In January 2014, the decision was made not to apply for the TLC grant.Continuing the process in August of 2014 the committee met every Wednesday until completion of the grant writing.  The focus of the TLC plan changed with an emphasis on an instructional coaching model rather than the original idea of adjusting the salary schedule to compensate the current leadership roles in the district. The plan was submitted in January 2015. The grant application did not receive the requisite score needed to continue.A concerted effort was made to improve our score beginning in April 2015. Committee membership changed at this time due to administrator and teacher attrition. The current committee met in the summer of 2015 and during the 2015/2016 school year.  Committee members looked at research from the following sources:  Diane Sweeney: Student-Centered Coaching, Jim Knight: Instructional Coaching Model, and Richard DuFour: Professional Learning Communities.The committee attended the following trainings and workshops: Teacher Leadership Symposium, ISEA, SAI, Solution Tree's PLC Conference, Benton Community Ed Camp, Grant Writing Trainings, AEA TLC Round III Workshop, Teacher Leadership Workshop, Principals Leadership Network, Teacher Leadership Network.The planning committee reached out to Benton Community, East Marshall, and Union school districts to examine their TLC plans.STC received a planning grant, which was used to:Send a team of teachers to the teacher leadership trainings and workshops mentioned above, including travel and registration costs ($3,926).Pay substitutes for staff attending teacher leadership training and planning meetings ($2564).Compensate planning committee members for time and effort devoted to development of the TLC plan. This compensation allowed a larger, more diverse group to participate in the planning process ($3,932).The planning committee utilized small group conversations, large group meetings, electronic surveys, and an open review process. This feedback ensured the plan reflects the goals and vision of the district.The planning committee consists of:  two elementary, two middle, and two high school teachers, representing all buildings in the district and the STC Education Association. Administration regularly attended the planning process. Community members, school board members, and parents participated also.ParentsParents participated on the planning committee. Other parents, participating in SIAC meetings, reviewed and provided input on the plan and its development. SIAC members include seven parents, six of whom are not on staff in the district. The public was aware of efforts to pursue the TLC grant through a presentation to the board and SIAC. Overall, parents showed overwhelming support for a TLC program at STC. When presented with the TLC plan, 100% of SIAC members expressed a high degree of support via consensus at a meeting.TeachersAll teachers in the district expressed support and interest in the TLC plan. Teachers played an integral part in the plan's development through their involvement and leadership on the planning committee. The entire teaching staff, including those not otherwise participating on the planning committee: Took part in discussions at staff meetings throughout the plan's developmentProvided input via electronic surveys. Overwhelming support was evidentWere invited to review the full grant through Google documents During the development of the plan, teachers expressed concerns. Some adjustments to the plan were made to address input and concerns, such as minimizing out-of classroom time for teachers who hold both leadership roles and teach in classrooms. Even though concerns existed in the beginning, many teachers have expressed interest in applying for a leadership position.AdministrationMembers of the administration support the plan and participated as planning committee members. The school board was aware of efforts to develop a TLC program and one administrator said, The staff has definitely done their homework and deserve to be supported in this effort. The proposed TLC plan supports a commitment made by the school board to apply resources in a manner that reflects a collaborative culture as a priority.  

Our vision correlates to the Theory of Action stated by the TLC Commission. If we promote teacher effectiveness and productivity we ensure students will grow and be successful in the classroom and as lifelong learners.  STC TLC VISION- All learners at STC will tackle complex problems and effectively communicate information so students can successfully complete postsecondary goals. To achieve this, staff and students will improve the quality of their work through feedback and reflection, and experience the confidence and accomplishment that comes through the production of meaningful, challenging work. TLC GoalsSTC implementationGoal 1: Improve student achievement by strengthening instruction.Learning is not a given it is an active process that requires the learner to ask questions, make connections, and apply learning to existing knowledge and new situations. Goal 2: Promote collaboration by developing and supporting opportunities for teachers in STC   to learn from each other.Learners need clarity about what the learning goals are and the criteria for success to inform the development of their work through Professional Learning Community (PLC)  work, Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW) and School Improvement Teams (SIT). Goal 3: Reward professional growth and effective teaching by providing pathways for career opportunities that come with increased leadership responsibilities and involve increased compensation.  Teacher leadership exists formally at STC in the form of the following: a  Mentoring/Induction program, Special Education instructional coach, and School Improvement teams. The district will continue to create new roles and avenues where teachers can develop and use leadership skills, providing enhanced career opportunities. Goal 4: Retain effective teachers by providing enhanced career opportunities.  Our proposed TLC plan offers new opportunities at STC that provide similar professional challenges our teachers are leaving to pursue. We seek to decrease the percentage of teachers leaving the district in pursuit of other professional challenges and to provide more opportunities for teacher leadership to enhance student learning. Goal 5: Attract promising new teachers by offering competitive starting salaries and offering   short-term and long-term professional development and leadership opportunities.  New teachers are hired at Step 5 of the salary schedule and moved to step 6 after one year of experience. All staff are eligible for $1000 stipend annually to pursue graduate level courses in their teaching area. STC TLC GoalsGoal 1: STC has struggled meeting proficiency goals for years. Although progress is being made, we continue our efforts so all students will demonstrate a year of growth. 2013-2014 Proficiency and Growth Data from Iowa AssessmentsBuildingMath ProficiencyMet GrowthReading ProficiencyElementary73%59%64%Middle School75%61%68%High School72%38%75% By implementing the TLC program, teacher effectiveness will improve which will increase the percentage of students who are proficient.Goal 2: Since 2010, STC has implemented PLC district wide. The focus is using summative and formative student data to target areas of needs. TLC will provide the tools and strategies to equip teachers with the skills to impact student growth. Goal 3: Teacher leaders are essential to education. In the past, STC employed instructional coaches for literacy, math, and special education. These coaches proved beneficial for teacher instruction. TLC will give STC the opportunity to create new leader roles and compensate them for their expertise and guidance.Goal 4: STC teacher retention has been fairly successful, but could be improved. Retention over the past five years has been 82%,  87%, 88%, 89% and 89%.  Our proposed TLC plan offers new opportunities at STC that provide similar professional challenges our teachers are leaving to pursue. We seek to decrease the percentage of teachers leaving the district in pursuit of other professional challenges and to provide more opportunities for teacher leadership to enhance student learning.Goal 5:  STC offers a competitive starting salary that exceeds the minimum required by TLC guidelines. To compete with surrounding districts, STC accelerated new teachers compensation. Creating a district culture that is attractive to promising young teachers is a critical piece of the long-term success of the district. Through the proposed TLC plan, we will build a rich culture of teacher professionalism that will make STC an attractive and fulfilling district in which to teach, grow, and live.

The South Tama County School District (STC) recognizes the school improvement process requires a continuous effort by all stakeholders. The STC district developed our TLC plan based on these common school improvement initiatives and onprofessional development, which utilizes a system of continuous improvement. Our plan connects directly to, supports and strengthens our existing initiatives and improvement structures:  Mentoring/Induction, Evaluation Systems, Recruitment/Retention, Professional Development, Iowa Core implementation, MTSS/RTI, K-3 Literacy, and Parent/Community involvement.Mentoring/InductionSouth Tama County created a new mentoring program in 2012 to limit the amount of time spent out of the classroom and to better address the specific needs of our district. Teachers new to the profession are assigned a mentor for two years, while veteran teachers new to the district have a mentor for one year. Throughout the school year, mentees and mentors participate in facilitated group meetings with their cohort to address topics universal to all new staff members, such as classroom management, lesson planning, parent-teacher conferences, and district initiatives.   Evaluation SystemsMaster Contract currently requires evaluation of all teaching staff on a three year cycle by building administration. The Site Council will review the performance of instructional coaches on an annual basis per master contract.Recruitment/Retention STC teacher retention has been fairly successful, but could be improved. Data collected has shown an 87% retention rate in new staff over the last five years. Teachers new to the district start at year five on the salary schedule to remain competitive with neighboring districts.Professional DevelopmentTeachers can pursue their master's degrees or graduate credit by taking advantage of the district contribution of $1,000 annually toward tuition as per master contract. STC's Professional Development Plan aligns with the following TLC goals:Improve student achievement by strengthening instructionPromote collaboration by developing and supporting opportunities for teachers at STC to learn from each other.Cultivate professional growth and effective teaching by providing pathways for career opportunities that come with increased leadership responsibilities. Iowa CoreWith the assistance of Mid-Iowa School Improvement Consortium (MISIC), the STC curriculum has been aligned to the Iowa Core and learning targets established.  Textbooks and assessments align to the Iowa Core. To assess the Iowa Core, the district uses Iowa Assessment data.The Instructional Coaches will ensure curriculum is aligned to the Iowa Core through observations, coaching cycles, and data analysis. MTSS/RTIEach building has a team to address student concerns. But, inconsistencies exist between building with MTSS/RTI use. Some inconsistencies are:Some teams only address behavior.Two of the three buildings have supplemental instructional time built into the schedule.Teams are in different stages of implementation.The TLC plan will assist in building a collaborative, district-wide learning environment by working with teacher PLCs, administrators, the Instructional Coach Facilitator, and others to create seamless transitions in interventions and instruction across grade levels, buildings, and content areas. K-3 LiteracyAt this time, FAST (Formative Assessment System for Teachers) testing is conducted three times a year.  Interventions and progress monitoring align with the FAST data. Teachers are in charge of FAST training, data collection, and progress monitoring with twenty to thirty minutes provided for interventions daily.The TLC coaches will assist teachers in analyzing and interpreting the FAST data.  Through the use of coaching cycles and professional development, instructional coaches will help staff develop strategies to improve student proficiency and prevent third grade retention mandated by state law.Parent/CommunityCurrent reality is most parent involvement within our school district does not address student improvement.  Committees include:Booster ClubParent Night at ElementaryFriends of the Middle SchoolOpen House for all buildings at the beginning of the yearMost parent involvement within our school district only addresses student improvement on an individual basis during parent/teacher conferences.Invitations have been extended to parents to participate in a multitude of district initiatives including the TLC Grant writing process.  Unfortunately, participation has been minimal.The TLC Plan will provide coaches as a liaison to communicate information to parents and the community on a quarterly  basis.  Information to be disseminated would include:  test scores, current events in classroom, school initiatives, successes, and concerns.

Previous ProgramsIn 2000, South Tama County (STC) participated in the mentor and induction program offered through AEA267. The AEA267 mentor and induction program has changed to reflect the changing needs of the districts they serve. This training provided structure and clarity for beginning and mentor teachers. However the excessive time mentors/mentees spent out of the classroom and relevance led us to develop our own program in 2012. Our Current Program South Tama County (STC) created a new mentoring program in 2012 to limit the amount of time spent out of the classroom and to better address the specific needs of our district. Teachers new to the profession are assigned a mentor for two years, while veteran teachers new to the district have a mentor for one year. Throughout the school year, mentees and mentors participate in facilitated group meetings with their cohort to address topics universal to all new staff members, such as classroom management, lesson planning, parent-teacher conferences, and district initiatives.    STC teacher retention has been fairly successful, but could be improved. Data collected has shown an 87% retention rate in new staff over the last five years. Surveys of our mentors/mentees have shown the most successful pairings occurred when mentors had systematic training in how to support mentees. Further analysis from staff surveys has shown the current program allotted scheduled times for mentors/mentees to collaborate.  One shortcoming of the program is mentors are not adequately trained. The new AEA267 Mentor and Induction Program will provide us with the consistency needed to train new mentors and a structured protocol for supporting mentees. Our Future Program After much deliberation between administration and teaching staff, the district has chosen the AEA267 Mentoring and Induction Program for new teachers and veteran teachers new to the district. This Mentoring and Induction Program is designed around the State of Iowa's technical assistance document for Mentoring and Induction, the Iowa Teaching Standards, research and best practice, evaluation information and field research, innovative, updated programs and training are researched, planned, evaluated and adapted to meet the needs of participants and districts. This program offers the most consistent support for mentor/mentee training.  The TLC Plan affords us the opportunity to return to AEA267 for professional development and collaboration of our mentors/mentees. Administrators will use a rigorous mentor selection process based on qualities of a model teacher. Experienced teachers are trained for the role of mentor prior to being assigned a mentee and compensated. Mentor Teachers. (Dependent upon new hires each year) Mentor teacher will help new teacher as they work towards their standard license.  The Mentor Teacher will demonstrate proficiency of the Iowa Teaching Standards, and have the ability to consult and assist new teachers.  Mentors will meet a minimum of once a month to collaborate with the mentee. The Mentor Teacher will work closely with Model Teachers to set up observations and reflection opportunities for new teachers in the district. The mentors will follow the current Mentoring and Induction Model         All Mentor Teachers will:Provide leadership for new teachersPlan observation and opportunities for reflectionSupport new teacher learningHelp increase teacher retentionAcclimate new teachers to the districtReceive $1,000 a year through state mentoring dollarsReceive an additional $1,000 a year through the Teacher Compensation Plan Our intent is the mentor/mentee partnership will be the initial step in retaining and developing new educators through the TLC Plan at STC.

Detailed description of the new clearly differentiated teacher leader roles. The South Tama County (STC) Teacher Leadership and Compensation Plan (TLC) has three levels: Lead Teacher, Instructional Coaches, and an Instructional Coach Facilitator. Model Teachers are the foundation of the system, making up approximately 25% of the faculty. The Instructional Coach Facilitator will collaborate with and coordinate efforts of the Instructional Coaches and Model Teachers, as well as support district-wide initiatives and supporting staff in working with diverse learners. These leadership positions provide a district-wide network to promote effective delivery of instruction and improved student achievement. Above the Model Teachers are four Instructional Coaches, two serving elementary in literacy and math, and two serving secondary in literacy and the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). Detailed explanation of how each of the new and existing roles fit together to create a coherent instructional improvement strategy that will strengthen instruction throughout the district. Instructional Coaches. Four individuals will serve as Instructional Coaches, spending 100% of time out of the classroom. Instructional Coaches will work 10 days beyond the standard 189 day teaching contract. Instructional Coaches are responsible for the following: Collaborating with teachers to identify teacher needs and discuss possible evidence-based interventions to increase student growth (instructional coaching cycle). Observing classrooms in collaboration with teachers to analyze student progress. Facilitating analysis of student work with individuals or groups of teachers, brainstorming to adjust instruction, helping teachers develop new strategies, and locating resources to improve student growth. Modeling a lesson for a group of teachers and providing time afterwards to engage in learning-focused dialogue. Modeling and co-teaching current evidence-based instructional strategies with Model Teachers. Instructional Coach Facilitator. One position, this individual will serve 100% of time out of the classroom. This individual will work 15 days beyond the standard 189 day teaching contract. The Instructional Coach Facilitator is responsible for the following: Delivering and disseminating professional development (PD) at the district level, building level, department level, and/or individual level based on feedback and observations made by instructional coaches. Collaborating with administrators and instructional coaches to determine professional learning needs for the district Using student data to research programs and strategies to improve student performance. Modeling, demonstrating, and supporting sound instructional practices. Collaborating with the four instructional coaches to provide training and support for new and veteran teachers on current district initiative. Supervising the Mentoring Induction Program. Analyzing student data at the district level to determine current reality and set goals for measuring progress. Serving as liaison between parents, community, and school. Increasing teacher engagement in current professional development initiatives with mini-lessons or a series of coaching cycles based on the needs of teachers. Developing a collaborative, district-wide learning environment by working with teacher PLCs, administrators, the Instructional Coach Facilitator, and others to create seamless transitions in interventions and instruction across grade levels, buildings, and content areas. Building and supporting a culture and climate focused on the needs of students. Promoting teacher, coach, and administrator collaboration around student data. Collaborating with administrators and instructional coaches to determine professional learning needs for the district. Serving as liaison between parents, community, and school. Lead Teachers. Approximately 29 teachers serving 0% of the time out of the classroom. These individuals will serve 3 additional contract days beyond the 189 day teaching contract. Lead Teachers are responsible for: Keeping accurate, updated assessment data as well as meeting agendas and minutes Supporting instruction and learning through use of technology as appropriate Designing and analyzing classroom assessments and results for instructional purposes Working with the Instructional Coach(es), ICF, administration, or others as needed Meeting with individual PLC team members as assigned by building principal Planning outside of contract time to prepare and follow up professional development Collaboratively setting agendas and meeting times for PLC Monitoring participation of the PLC (i.e. revisit norms, active participation of all) Facilitating collaborative-decision making process as trained from Solution Tree Collaborating with ICFs and administration to plan and deliver professional development as needed Participating as a member on the School Improvement Team Additional duties may be assigned by the administration Opening classroom for Mentoring Labs and Learning Walks as needed Mentor Teachers. (Dependent upon new hires each year) Mentor Teachers will help new teachers as they work towards their standard license. The Mentor Teachers will demonstrate proficiency of the Iowa Teaching Standards, and have the ability to consult and assist new teachers. Mentors will meet a minimum of once a month to collaborate with the mentees. The Mentor Teachers will work closely with Model Teachers to set up observations and reflection opportunities for new teachers in the district. The mentors will follow the current Mentoring and Induction Model. All Mentor Teachers are responsible for: Providing leadership for new teachers Planning observation and opportunities for reflection Supporting new teacher learning Helping increase teacher retention Acclimating new teachers to the district TLC Site Council will consist of four teachers representing all buildings. The members of the TLC Site Council will have zero additional days in their standard 189 day teaching contract and will be paid at the hourly district curriculum rate for work done outside of contract. Their responsibilities will include screening, interviewing, and recommending an Instructional Facilitator and Instructional Coaches. This council will be involved in the annual review of teacher leadership roles and applications. TLC Cohesiveness The Instructional Coach Facilitator, Instructional Coaches, and Lead Teachers will strive to create a coherent strategy for professional learning. Currently, the administrative team establishes the focus for professional learning at the district and building level. STC has worked previously with AEA 267 in a collaborative instructional coaching model, has employed a curriculum director, and has utilized a School Improvement Team to facilitate professional development to work towards improving student achievement. The TLC Plan seeks to combine the best of these efforts into a coherent strategy for promoting recruitment and retention of teachers, as well as improve the overall academic performance of our students. Teachers will work to ensure classrooms are student-centered with rigorous and relevant instruction. Lead Teachers will focus the work of PLCs around essential student learning and the appropriate responses for students who struggle to meet or exceed the learning targets. The Instructional Coaches will utilize coaching cycles with all teachers to increase achievement through student-centered classrooms. Instructional Coach Facilitator will collaborate with administrators, Instructional Coaches and teachers to determine district-wide and building level professional learning opportunities. In addition the Instructional Facilitator will address the needs of new professionals to ensure success for all adult learners in the district. The system will provide STC with a cohesive structure which fosters rich, academic student-centered education. The TLC plan will challenge all students to achieve at a high level, model what they have learned, and inspire others.

How effectiveness of the candidates will be determined and evaluated in the selection of teacher leaders. Working with peers requires a different skill set than working with students. It is the intent of the selection process to identify the most qualified applicants to work with adult learners. The best classroom teacher is not automatically suited by temperament or skill to work collegially with adults. The TLC Planning team has developed a rigorous selection process that includes multiple measures for examining past effectiveness and professional growth that will guide this important work.The Site Council will be trained on the ethics, confidentiality, and inter-rater reliability to ensure a consistent selection process. The Site Council will be made up of seven members, four teachers, and three administrators with each building being represented. Members of the Site Council will be appointed by the superintendent. Membership on the Site Council will serve on staggered three year terms. Future appointees will be nominated by the Site Council. Teachers applying for Instructional Coach or Instructional Coach Facilitator may not serve on the Site Council. How professional growth will be determined and evaluated in the selection of teacher leaders. Phase One:  ApplicationTeachers applying for a leadership position must have a minimum of five years teaching experience and at least three years in the district. Those applying for teacher leader positions (Instructional Coach Facilitator, Instructional Coaches and/or Model Teachers) will be required to:1.         Indicate position(s) in which they are interested.2.         Upload the following four artifacts for consideration.Written narrative explaining interest in a leadership position, as well as strengths and talents the applicant would bring to the position;Provide the most recent Individual Career Development Plan (ICDP);Student data that indicates how the individual supports continual student growth and progress; andComplete questions developed by the Teacher Leadership and Compensation Plan Committee and aligned with the Teacher Leader Model Standards from the Teacher Leadership Exploratory Consortium. Questions will measure the applicant's values, beliefs, attitudes, and dominant behaviors in comparison to their peers. This insight will assist in determining each applicant's predicted level of effectiveness as potential teacher leaders. The Site Council will score the applications to ensure inter-rater reliability. Applicants with favorable responses to at least 50% of the questions will advance to Phase Two. Phase Two:  Interview ProcessApplicants will describe their experiences, expertise, and attributes which enable them to be effective leaders and learners.  In this role, applicants will discuss the relevance of their written responses, describe strengths they bring to the position in which they are applying, and respond to questions about their most recent ICDP.  The purpose of Phase Two is to determine each applicant's past level of effectiveness in professional growth efforts as well as to predict how effective they may be as a teacher leader. Phase Three:  SelectionThe Site Council will use Diane Sweeney's student-centered coaching rubrics to assess the top candidates four artifacts, interview, and written responses. They will make recommendations to the superintendent for each position.  The superintendent will submit a list of candidates to the Board of Education for final approval. Phase Four:  Yearly Review and ReapplicationThe Site Council will review the performance of teacher leaders annually. The Instructional Coach Facilitator, Instructional Coaches, and Model Teachers using their job descriptions, will submit a self-reflection of their performance to the Site Council. The Site Council will provide each individual with formative feedback regarding performance as indicated by job tasks in the job description.  Peer feedback on the effectiveness of the teacher's performance of duties specific to the teacher's leadership role will be provided to the Site Council through the use of peer review surveys.  A teacher who completes the time period of assignment in a leadership role may apply for assignment in a new leadership role or for reassignment.  All teacher leaders will be able to return to a job replacement similar to the one they vacated.  The superintendent will make retention recommendations based on input from the teacher leaders and the Site Council.

Teacher Leaders Roles in Creating Professional DevelopmentCurrently, the South Tama administrative team establishes the focus for professional learning at the district and building levels.  Using the Iowa Professional Development Model (IPDM), the Instructional Coach Facilitator in conjunction with the four Instructional Coachesand Model Teachers will work with the administrative team to deliver professional development.  Additionally, this group will use multiple-data sources (formative, summative, walk-through data, teachers needs assessment) to help address the professional development needs for the district and each of the individual buildings.  The TLC Plan will develop a coherent strategy to improve the overall academic performance of our students as well as to promote recruitment and retention of teachers. Teacher Leaders Roles in Delivering Professional DevelopmentTeacher leaders will play a key part in the delivery of professional development. At the district level, professional development will be led by the Instructional Coach Facilitator, Instructional Coaches, and administrative team.  At the building level, Instructional Coaches and Model teachers will work with administrative team to deliver professional development. Teachers will provide feedback to Model Teachers and Instructional Coaches to improve professional development delivery.STC's Professional Development Plan aligns with the following TLC goals:Improve student achievement by strengthening instructionPromote collaboration by developing and supporting opportunities for teachers in STC to learn from each other.Cultivate professional growth and effective teaching by providing pathways for career opportunities that come with increased leadership responsibilities. Teacher Leaders will utilize the following steps of the IPDM: 1.  Collecting/analyzing student dataInstructional Coach Facilitators and administrators will analyze district student achievement data (Iowa Assessments, FAST, MAP, walk-through data, I-ELDA, and CoGAT)Instructional Coaches will analyze data with building PLC teams to focus building/district wide professional developmentMentor Teachers will help teachers new to the profession and district analyze student achievement data and assist the teachers in planning, monitoring, and implementing best instructional practices. 2.  Goal setting/student learningInstructional Coaches and Model Teachers will work with teachers to develop meaningful career development plans based on district professional development goals (AIW, PLCs, Kagan, MTSS, and technology integration).Mentor Teachers will advise new teachers on implementing  the Iowa Teaching Standards and working towards district professional development goals. 3.  Selecting contentAt the district level, the Instructional Coach Facilitator and administrators will select effective researched-based instructional strategies that align the district goals.At the building level, Instructional Coaches will select effective researched-based instructional strategies that align to building and individual professional development goals.At the classroom level, classroom teacher will work with Instructional Coaches to select the focus of the coaching cycle. 4.  Designing the process for PDThe Instructional Coach Facilitator, administrators, and Instructional Coaches will work collaboratively to design the professional development calendar for the school year.Instructional Coaches and Model Teachers will work together in implementing district professional development. 5.  Ongoing CycleModel Teachers will make their classroom accessible for peer observation and learning of district goals.All teachers will collect and review artifacts and data to continue the professional learning process.Collaboration and feedback will be ongoing between all stakeholders to increase student achievement.

South Tama County Community School District (STC) believes that all learners will tackle complex problems and effectively communicate information and ideas so students can successfully complete postsecondary goals. In order to achieve this, staff and students will improve the quality of their work through feedback and reflection, and experience the confidence and accomplishment that comes through the production of meaningful, challenging work.This vision will direct the work of our district leaders and teachers in our South Tama Teacher Leadership and Compensation Plan which is encompassed by the following goals:Improve student achievement by strengthening instruction.Promote collaboration by developing and supporting opportunities for teachers in STC to learn from each other.Reward professional growth and effective teaching by providing pathways for career opportunities that come with increased leadership responsibilities and involve increased compensation.  Retain effective teachers by providing enhanced career opportunities.Attract promising new teachers by offering competitive starting salaries and offering short-term and long-term professional development and leadership opportunities. Improve student achievement by strengthening instruction. Short Term:  Professional Learning Communities (PLC) will analyze MAP and FAST data three times a year to formally assess student growth in Reading, Math and Science. This data analysis will guide instruction based on differential student need.    Long Term:  Using National Standard Score from the Iowa Assessment on the Science and Reading subtest, 70% or more students in grades 3-11 will score proficient on the Iowa Assessment. On Math 75% or more students in grades 3-11 will score proficient on the Iowa Assessment. Promote collaboration by developing and supporting opportunities for teachers in STC to learn from each other. Short Term:  PLC Continuum Rubric developed by Rick Dufour will be used twice a year to measure the effectiveness of PLCs, and the teacher leaders will use this data to assist in district wide staff development. Surveys will be used to measure the effectiveness of PLCs and Instructional Coaches. Long Term: All teaching staff will complete a coaching cycle and/or observe model teachers annually. Coaching cycles and observations will be tracked through a contact log documenting the number and type of interactions coaches had with teaching staff. Reward professional growth and effective teaching by providing pathways for career opportunities that come with increased leadership responsibilities and involve increased compensation.   Short Term:  The Teacher Quality Committee will track the number of teachers who utilize professional development opportunities to improve their teaching practice. The district will track the number of teachers who pursue their master's degree or graduate credit by taking advantage of the district contribution of $1,000 annually toward tuition as per master contract. Long Term:  To increase the number of teachers in instructional leadership roles, twenty-five percent of STC staff will be model teachers. Approximately five percent of the teaching staff will serve as instructional coaches and mentor teachers will be assigned based on district need.Increased leadership responsibilities will be compensated by the following model and will be tracked on an annual basis by Human Resources (HR). Teacher RolesSalary SupplementInstructional Coach Facilitator (1)$12,000/eachInstructional Coach (4)$10,000/eachModel Teacher$2,000/eachMentor Teacher$1,000/eachSite Council (4)$2,000/each Retain effective teachers by providing enhanced career opportunities. Short Term:   HR will track the number of new teachers and teacher leaders who choose to remain in the district. Exiting teachers will complete an interview with HR to improve teacher retention at STC. District administrators will utilize the evaluation process to determine teacher effectiveness. Long Term:   We are going to increase the retention of effective teachers by utilizing our Instructional Leaders. HR will complete a comparison study to develop trend data regarding the retention of teachers. Although our current retention rate is high, STC will increase our retention of effective teachers based on Iowa Teaching Standards from 87% to 95%. Attract promising new teachers by offering competitive starting salaries and offering short-term and long-term professional development and leadership opportunities.  Short Term: In order to be competitive with other districts we have negotiated to hire teachers at Step 5 of the salary schedule per master contract.HR will track the number of applicants for available teaching positions. Long Term:  HR will complete a comparison study to develop trend data regarding the number of applicants for available teaching positions. Based on the data, HR, the Site Council, and the Superintendent will make recommendations for leadership adjustments. 

Capacity to Implement and Sustain the Teacher Leadership Compensation PlanSouth Tama County (STC) has built the capacity to implement the TLC Plan and sustain the involvement of teacher leadership long term. Mentoring and Professional Learning Communities (PLC) are programs which originated through state funding.  The district continues to fund and sustain these initiatives without direct funding from the state. 1.  Success of Past InitiativesMentoringSTC has been devoted to the retention of new teachers. Even before the state mandated mentoring, new teachers to district were assigned veteran teacher to help them acclimate to the district. Although the state requirements have changed over time, STC has been committed to the process of supporting new teachers to the district.  At the present time, teachers new to the profession and new to the district participate in the STC mentoring program.Professional Learning Communities For many years, STC has focused on the PLC initiative. Starting in the summer of 2010, STC sent a group of staff members to the PLC Conference in Minnesota. This was followed by sending a another group to Phoenix in February 2011. The district has continued to send small groups of teachers yearly.  In addition to the conferences, the district has brought in presenters from Solution Tree. In collaboration with Solution Tree, Dennis King worked with school leadership teams on how to improve the PLC process, collect and analyze student data, and define the group's work. The Collaborative Teacher: Working Together as a Professional Learning Community was purchased for all teachers to facilitate PLCs.Also, to facilitate PLC work, the district started dismissing students early on Wednesdays beginning in 2010.  This time was set aside for PLCs to collect and analyze student data, determine how to assist  students  not meeting learning targets, and  how to extend growth for students who meet learning targets. The PLCs also worked on curriculum alignment, research on rigorous assessments, and supplemental instruction for students.The two programs mentioned above show STC's commitment to sustaining new initiatives over the long term. The same commitment will be made with the TLC program. 2.  Key Staff and Responsibilities for Plan SustainabilitySuperintendentCommunicate program and progress to all stakeholdersBuilding administratorsSite CouncilBoard of EducationHuman Resource DirectorTeachersMake hiring recommendationsManage the Site Council and Instructional FacilitatorMonitor and supervise use of TLC fundsOversee interviews and surveys for new and exiting teachersRecruit and communicate with teacher preparation programs in advance of new teacher needImplement teacher leader evaluation systemsBuilding AdministratorsSupport the alignment of curriculum, instruction and assessmentEvaluate teacher leader rolesFacilitate the training of Instructional Coaches and Model TeachersMonitor instructionCommunicate with coaches about building needs to ensure program success Business ManagerDevelop a TLC budgetMaintain and monitor the TLC FundsMentor TeachersParticipate in New Teacher Orientation at the beginning of each school year and various meetings throughout the school yearFocus on Iowa Teaching StandardsSupport portfolio developmentComplete an annual survey on the effectiveness of the New Teacher Orientation ProgramTo maintain a professional, non-evaluative relationship between Instructional Coaches and administration, conversations about classroom teachers will focus on curriculum and student needs.  Administration will be responsible for the evaluation of teachers and teacher leaders.Along with these key roles, the Superintendent will ensure all Instructional Coaches have access to continued training.  Instructional Coaches will study Student-Centered Coaching by Diane Sweeney and attend further training opportunities provided by the AEA and outside resources. The Superintendent and building administrators will ensure Instructional Coaches have time for collaboration in the following ways:  Weekly PLC meetingsFour to six week coaching cyclesMonthly meetings with administration 

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

Amount designated to fund the salary supplements for teachers in leadership roles.:    0.00

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).:    0.00

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.:    0.00

Budget Alignment text.