LAC 28:XLV.405. Louisiana Teacher Preparation Quality Rating System

A. The Louisiana teacher preparation quality rating system shall serve as the basis for the renewal of teacher preparation program approval. The rating system shall: 1. include multiple measures of preparation program success; and 2. result in an annual report (“performance profile”) for each approved provider at the pathway level; 3. result in a biennial rating (“quality rating”) for each approved provider at the pathway level. a. The ratings shall be: Quality Rating | Composite Score Range Level: Ineffective | x<1.5 Level 2: Needs Improvement | 1.5≤ x <2.5 Level 3: Effective | 2.5≤ x <3.5 Level 4: Highly Effective | 3.5≤ x B. The Louisiana teacher preparation quality rating system shall include but not be limited to the following domains: 1. preparation program experience, as measured by on-site reviews of each teacher preparation provider. The on-site review shall be conducted at the provider level and shall result in one rating for each pathway. The on-site review shall also include reporting at the program level, when appropriate. An on-site review shall be conducted once per accountability cycle. Each provider shall participate in a four-year accountability cycle, and each provider shall engage in an on-site review once during the four-year cycle. Providers that do not maintain a level 3 or higher as reported on the next performance profile may be required to complete additional on-site reviews and progress monitoring as determined by BESE. The biennial quality rating shall reflect the most recently issued on-site review rating. When logistically and fiscally feasible and appropriate, the provider may request the specific years and semesters during which the on-site review is conducted. Such requests must be submitted to the LDE no less than one year before the renewal period begins: a. on-site reviews may be conducted by the LDE or by a BESE-approved contractor with demonstrated expertise in teacher preparation. The evaluation tools used to conduct on-site reviews shall align to the requirements set forth in this bulletin and provide for a holistic rating between 1 and 4; 2. meeting educator workforce needs, as measured by the percentage of program completers in high-need certification areas and/or the percentage of residents placed in high-need schools: a. for this domain, program completers shall include candidates who were recommended for initial licensure as well as candidates who completed at least 80 percent of an add-on endorsement with one preparation provider; b. high-need certification areas shall be established every four years, beginning fall 2017 and every fall four years thereafter. High-need certification areas are those that align with the highest percentage of classes being taught by out-of-field or uncertified teachers across the state; c. a list of high-need schools shall be established every four years, beginning fall 2017 and every fall four years thereafter. High-need schools may be defined as: i. schools with a high percentage of minority or economically disadvantaged students; ii. schools that are less geographically proximate to teacher preparation providers or schools underserved by current teacher preparation providers; d. school system-based teacher preparation programs may use the same methodology described above to define high-need certification areas and high-need schools at the local level; 3. teacher quality: a. teacher quality shall be measured by program completers’ value-added results for up to but not more than three years following program completion; and other measures of program completers’ impact on student learning, as approved by BESE; b. the teacher quality domain shall undergo a research phase during which such measures are developed and tested in consultation with the BOR and K-12 and higher education experts. By fall 2018, the LDE shall recommend such measures to BESE, if appropriate.