LAC 28:CLXVII.503. Coordinated Observation Plan and Observation Requirements

A. Coordinated observation is the local process by which each community network ensures that every classroom, including virtual classrooms, in a publicly-funded site in the community network receives two CLASS® observations each school year. B. CLASS® Observation Requirements 1. A CLASS® observation is an observation of the typical experiences of children in a classroom using the appropriate Infant-Toddler or Pre-K-3rd CLASS® tool using all domains, typically occurring during the morning, in which a reliable observer conducts four 20-minute cycles of observation and note-taking followed by at least 10 minutes of scoring after each observation cycle. 2. Domains and Dimensions a. CLASS® observations for infant classrooms must include both CLASS® 2nd Edition Infant-Toddler domains, which are emotional and behavioral support and engaged support for learning, and all dimensions contained within. b. CLASS® observations for toddler classrooms must include both CLASS® 2nd Edition Infant-Toddler domains, which are emotional and behavioral support and engaged support for learning, and all dimensions contained within. c. CLASS® observations for pre-K classrooms must include all three CLASS® 2nd Edition Pre-K-Third domains, which are emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support, and all dimensions contained within. 3. Required Observations a. For the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 academic years only, all infant, toddler, and pre-K classrooms in a publicly-funded site will receive one CLASS® observation during the school year conducted by the community network. b. Any infant, toddler, and/or pre-K classroom that receives a fall CLASS® score of 4.49 or lower after third party replacement (if applicable) shall be observed a second time. c. Following the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 academic years, all infant, toddler, and pre-K classrooms in a publicly-funded site will receive two CLASS® observations during the school year conducted by the community network. d. Following the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 academic years, one observation shall occur during the fall observation period, if the classroom is in existence on October 1, and the other shall occur during the spring observation period, if the classroom is in existence on February 1. e. CLASS® observations conducted by third-party contractors hired by the department shall not count towards this requirement. 4. Use of CLASS® 2nd Edition Infant-Toddler or CLASS® 2nd Edition Pre-K-3rd. Classrooms shall be observed with the same CLASS® tool throughout the academic year based on the composition of the classroom when the observation plan required in accordance with Subsection C of this Section is submitted according to the following: a. The CLASS® 2nd Edition Infant-Toddler tool shall be used in any classroom where only infants and toddlers are served or in classrooms where at least fifty percent of children are infants or toddlers b. The CLASS® 2nd Edition Pre-K-3rd tool shall be used in any classroom where more than fifty percent of the students are pre-k children, or where more than fifty percent of the children are pre-K and kindergarten students. 5. The department shall monitor observer accuracy within each observation period by comparing the domain-level results from classroom observations conducted by the department’s third-party contractors to the domain-level results from classroom observations conducted by the community network for each observer. a. Within each school year, for observations conducted by a community network observer that have been compared to domain-level results conducted by the department’s third-party contractors, if more than 20 percent of the domain-level results are different by more than 1 point for the community network observer, that observer and lead agency will be issued a notice in writing by the state regarding the level of accuracy. b. Within each school year, for observations conducted by a community network observer that have been compared to domain-level results conducted by the department’s third-party contractors, if more than 33 percent of the domain-level results are different by more than 1 point for the community network observer, that observer will be shadow scored by another community network observer in the next observation period. c. At the end of the school year, for observations conducted by a community network observer that have been compared to domain-level results conducted by the department’s third-party contractors within the same community network, if 50 percent or more of the domain-level results are different by more than one point for the community network observer over the course of the school year, the department may determine that the community network observer shall not be able to conduct observations for that community network for the next observation period. i. If the observer is no longer able to conduct observations for the community network, the department shall notify the observer and the lead agency that the observer shall not be able to conduct observations for that community network for the next observation period. ii. A lead agency or community network observer may request in writing that the department review its decision in Subparagraph 5.c of this Subsection within 15 calendar days of receiving the decision. iii. All requests for departmental review shall clearly state the specific reasons for requesting the review and the action being sought, and shall include all necessary supporting documentation. iv. The department shall respond to the request for departmental review within 30 calendar days after receiving it. v. The department may waive the action in Subparagraph 5.c of this Subsection in cases of extenuating circumstances or if the action would result in no other assessor being available to conduct required observations. d. Observers who receive notification from the LDOE under Clause 5.c.i of this Subsection must meet the reliability requirements of 80 percent accuracy through annual recertification prior to being permitted to complete observations for the community network. e. At the end of each observation period, the department will notify lead agencies in writing of all community network observers that have more than 20 percent of the domain-level results that differ by more than 1 point from comparable observations conducted by the department’s third-party contractors. C. Coordinated Observation Plan 1. Local Protocol. Each community network shall develop and maintain, no later than September 30 of each year, a written local protocol for coordinated observation using CLASS® that at a minimum includes: a. the number of CLASS® observers who will conduct observations; b. a plan to ensure reliable data that includes the following requirements: i. all observers are reliable, which is defined as all observers having a certification achieved by completing and passing all trainings and assessments required by Teachstone to conduct a CLASS® observation with validity and fidelity; ii. all observers maintain inter-rater reliability and fidelity. Inter-rater reliability occurs when two or more observers produce consistent observation results for the same classroom at the same time; iii. the community network conducts inter-rater reliability observation checks for 10 percent of all classrooms observed during the fall observation period and for 10 percent of all classrooms observed during the spring observation period, and that these reliability observation checks include every observer and at least one observation for each classroom age configuration in the community network at least once annually; and iv. no observer shall conduct an observation in which the observer is an immediate family member, as defined in R.S. 42:1102, of a teacher in the classroom being observed or an immediate family member of an individual who supervises or provides training or technical assistance to a teacher in the classroom being observed or has a direct financial interest in the site where the classroom is being observed. 2. Observation Schedule a. In 2018-2019, each community network shall submit an observation schedule that includes two observations for each toddler and pre-K classroom identified in Paragraph B.3 of this Section. b. In 2019-2020 and beyond, each community network shall submit an observation schedule that includes two observations for each infant, toddler, and pre-K classroom identified in Paragraph B.3.b, with one observation scheduled during the fall observation period and one during the spring observation period. 3. Submission of Observation Schedules a. For the fall observation period, the observation schedule must be submitted to the LDOE via the Early Childhood CLASS® portal or a comparable LDOE-approved system by October 1 unless otherwise specified by the department. b. For the spring observation period, the observation schedule must be submitted to the LDOE via the Early Childhood CLASS® portal or a comparable LDOE-approved system by February 1 unless otherwise specified by the department. c. Lead agencies may alter these schedules after submission as required by local circumstances, or in order to complete local observations around the same time as third-party observations. D. Waiver 1. The state superintendent of education shall have the authority to grant waivers to lead agencies for specific requirements of the coordinated observation plan or observation requirements included in this Chapter, with the exception of Clause C.1.d.iv of this Section. 2. Lead agencies seeking a waiver shall submit a written request to the LDOE prior to or at the time of the submission of the coordinated enrollment plan. The request shall cite the specific requirement for which a waiver is being requested and shall clearly state the reasons why the waiver is being requested and why it should be granted. Waiver requests shall include any supporting documentation that substantiates the need for the waiver. 3. The department shall respond in writing to waiver requests within 30 calendar days after receiving the request. E. The department shall publicly release the reliability requirements for third-party contractors hired by the department annually.