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COMMUNIQUÉ Set it... E-DUES AVAILABLE NOW! A publication of the Iowa State Education Association – MARCH 2013 – Vol. 50, No. 5 and forget it! What to do about Peer Review Last year the Iowa Legislature passed legislation (now Iowa Code 284.8) requiring annual reviews for educators, including two years of formative reviews conducted by a peer group of teachers, and the third year summative review performed by an administrator. Guidance from the Iowa Department of Education also indicated that Peer Reviews should be part of the collective bargaining process. So what kind of language do you need in your contract this year? Your UniServ director has the ISEA Model Language to use when bargaining Peer Review. And yes, this language should be included in contracts being bargained this year —to be implemented during the 2013-2014 year. Here are answers to the most common questions: How should the process look? Peer Review is a process where two or more colleagues work together to increase student learning on an informal, collaborative basis that is focused on assisting each peer group member in achieving the goals of the teacher's individual professional development plan. What is the specific purpose of the review? Formative Peer Review is a confidential process between the peer group of teachers through which peers collaborate, in and out of the classroom, with a focus on developing those skills that will enable them to enrich their professional work lives and increase student learning. Are there uniform, statewide guidelines? Yes. Peer Review will be conducted by a peer group of teachers during the first and second years of their annual reviews as stated in 284.8, Code of Iowa. Peer groups should be established to reflect common grade level, curriculum, proximity, or other previously established groupings of individuals employed to instruct students. How will the peer groups be formed? The selection of peer reviewers is not addressed in the Code. ISEA believes that teachers and non-instructional bargaining unit members should self-select their peer reviewer or group of peer reviewers on an annual basis. All teachers are required to be part of a peer group and the peer review process. What type of data will be collected and by whom? Who will receive copies of the data collected? No data collection is required by the Code. However, it is possible that an administrator will request some level of documentation providing evidence that the reviews took place. ISEA believes that teachers should have exclusive rights to all documentation created as a result of the Peer Review process. This includes all handwritten notes, videos, audio recordings, computer files, etc. How often will the reviews be completed? How much time will each one take? What is the format for use of the data collected? Peer Reviews are to be conducted during the first and second year of the three-year cycle for evaluation. ISEA believes it is important that each teacher receive adequate training prior to conducting a Peer Review. The Peer Review process should include observation, coaching conversations, and other professional feedback deemed appropriate by the peer group of teachers. Ideally, each district will provide release time for participation in the process. In the event that employees are asked to work beyond the hours defined by the collective bargaining agreement, employees should be paid at their per diem rate. The law clearly states that peer group reviews will not be the basis for recommending that a teacher participate in an intensive IN THIS ISSUE 3 assistance program, and shall not be used to determine the compensation, promotion, layoff, or termination of a teacher, or any other determination affecting a teacher's employment status. Content of peer reviews should never be incorporated into the summative evaluation of the building principal. OPINION Wrestling with Allowable Growth 5 DELEGATE ASSEMBLY Proposed Legislative Program and Resolutions 9 TEACHING & LEARNING Cedar Rapids first to host Classroom Management That Works