May 2003

Teacher Improvement Plan (TIP)

The Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) regulation was passed in 1999, however, many school districts applied for and were granted waivers at that time. Consequently, even though the regulation is three years old, many districts are writing APPR plans and Teacher Improvement Plans (TIP) for the first time in 2003. In part this is because the passage of the revised Title I program, the No Child Left Behind Act, has brought greater attention to the teacher evaluation process.

Regulation Information

TIP (Teacher Improvement Plan) is a component of the Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) amendment to section 100.2 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, effective September 3, 1999. In subdivision (o) of section 100.2, paragraph 4 TIP is described as follows:

(4) Teacher Improvement. The plan shall describe how the school district or BOCES addresses the performance of teachers whose performance is evaluated as unsatisfactory, and shall require the development of a teacher improvement plan for teachers so evaluated, which shall be developed by the district or BOCES in consultation with such teacher.

Key Ideas

• The performance of all teachers providing instructional services or pupil personnel services is to be evaluated at least annually. (Except evening school teachers of adults enrolled in nonacademic, vocational subjects; and supplementary school personnel.)

• APPR amendment requires that the district or BOCES plan include criteria for evaluation of teacher performance including at a minimum the following topics: Content knowledge, preparation, instructional delivery, classroom management, student development, student assessment, collaboration, and reflective and responsive practice.

• The district or BOCES establishes the levels of proficiency and evidence required for satisfactory performance in the APPR plan.

• The APPR formal performance review is subject to collective bargaining.

• The APPR defines satisfactory or unsatisfactory performance.

• The APPR plan must address the performance expected of both tenured and non-tenured teachers.

• The district or BOCES is required to report annually to SED the efforts undertaken to "address the performance of teachers whose performance is evaluated as unsatisfactory, including information related to the implementation of teacher improvement plans for teachers so evaluated."

• TIPs are Teacher Improvement Plans written as a recommendation or plan of action to help teachers found to have unsatisfactory performance as defined in the APPR plan.

• TIPs are to be developed by the district or BOCES in collaboration with the teacher found to have unsatisfactory performance.
  

Advice to Local Leaders

1. TIPs are intended to help teachers with professional performance, not as disciplinary tools used to gather evidence to terminate an individual. Unfortunately in some districts TIPs are being used as documentation to back up termination.

2. The responsibility for providing the help to the teacher is with the district. In a TIP the district proposes how it will help the teacher. The teacher must be involved in determining the activities suggested to remediate the areas of unsatisfactory performance.

3. TIPs are to be developed in collaboration with a teacher and a district representative. A teacher should not receive a TIP or "Be Tipped". Collaboration implies a level of mutual respect.

4. TIP meetings can be very tense situations if a teacher does not understand or agree with the evaluation as unsatisfactory or if a district is misusing the process.
   

5.The process and/or procedure for the Annual Professional Performance Review is a mandatory subject of collective bargaining. Therefore, the contract can stipulate that a union representative accompany the teacher for the TIP meeting.

6. Development of a TIP should be a helpful, professional conversation, identifying solutions to problems and resources that will HELP the teacher. TIP collaborative meetings should not be adversarial or be used as a negotiation tool.

7. The language of APPR applies to both tenured and non-tenured teachers.

8. There is no recommended template for a TIP in the APPR regulations. Each district or BOCES defines its own TIP form and process in the district APPR plan.

9. A good TIP may include the following:

1. Identification of the specific behavior to be changed
2. The link to the criteria in the district or BOCES APPR plan.

-What does the teacher have to change?

-What evidence will demonstrate that the teacher has changed?

3. A timeline for accomplishing the change, with intermediate benchmarks.
4. A statement of what the teacher agrees to do to make the required change.
5. A statement of who will support the teacher and monitor progress in the change effort.
6. Identification of multiple resources to help the teacher.

• Resources can include mentors, district Professional Development Plan, Teacher Centers, BOCES, Higher Education Institutions, personal counselors, employee assistance programs, and medical referrals and others.

g.Release time for courses, workshops and observation.

8. Signatures by the teacher and district representative indicating agreement.

10. If a TIP is used as a threat, or as a disciplinary tool by a district representative, the teacher should immediately contact the local president to identify options. Local presidents should ensure that building representatives know who has been identified as needing to participate in the TIP process.

NYSUT's Division of Research and Educational Services serves as the research arm of NYSUT, providing information and assistance to Field Services, to other NYSUT divisions, and to local leaders. In addition, the Division provides a variety of information and workshops to local leaders and to local member organizations.

NYSUT.ORG. Copyright New York State United Teachers. 800 Troy-Schenectady Road, Latham, New York, 12110-2455. 518.213.6000.