Case Studies: Overview | Columbus | Toledo
Former Columbus Superintendent, James Hyre, and former Columbus Education Association (CEA) President, John Grossman, implemented the Peer Assistance and Review program in 1985. They formed a joint committee with members from both school administration and the CEA and developed a model based on the Toledo Plan. The Columbus PAR program works to assist teachers at critical points in their careers - when they begin or when they are struggling.
- Intern. This program is mandatory for all newly hired teachers in Columbus Public Schools, regardless of prior teaching experience. The consulting teacher prepares at least one interim report and provides a recommendation on whether the intern should receive a contract for the next year.
- Intervention. The Intervention Program is less structured than the Intern Program in order to allow the struggling teacher and consulting teacher to work together to establish goals. There is no time limit, so a teacher may remain in this program as long as acceptable progress is made. Formal evaluations by administrators are not conducted during this period.
Columbus Education Association website
Columbus provides new and struggling veteran teachers with ongoing support to bring their work to acceptable standards, but it also includes an evaluation system that can lead to the dismissal of those who fail to improve. It is composed of the following key elements.
Teaching Performance Rubric
The teaching performance rubric is an evaluation tool designed to assess teachers in the PAR program. It is based on eight performance terms: (1) teaching performance; (2) pupil relations; (3) management activities; (4) overall value to the school; (5) professional characteristics; (6) staff relations; (7) parent/community relations; (8) professional development. More detail on these standards and the evaluation process can be found on page 13 of the Columbus Handbook.
Clear Referral Process
Because all new teachers must participate in the program, a referral process is only necessary for struggling experienced teachers. Those teachers can enter the program in three ways: (1) self-referral; (2) recommendation made by a vote of the Association Building Council; or (3) recommendation made by the administrator. Pages 10-11 of the Columbus Handbook detail the intervention referral process and provide a sample Intervention Referral Form.
Rigorous Selection Process for Consulting Teachers
The PAR Panel selects consulting teachers based on specific criteria, detailed in a job description. Teachers are able to apply to become a consultant for a three-year period of service. Once their term is over, consultants may return to their previous assignment or assume other leadership roles within the district.
Consultant Teacher Training
The university partnership with The Ohio State University distinguishes the Columbus program from many other PAR initiatives across the country. Consulting teachers undergo rigorous training that covers a variety of topics including the developmental stages of teachers, systematic observation techniques, and strategies for dealing with difficult teachers. They also meet on a weekly basis to take part in ongoing training sessions. Read more about the University Collaborative on pages 20-21 of the Columbus Handbook.
Ongoing Teacher Support
Consultants work with new and struggling teachers throughout the year to ensure that they receive sufficient support to improve their instructional practice. The minimum number of observations and conferences is 20 and 10 for an intern and 40 and 20 for an intervention teacher, respectively. There is no required observation or conference length, though 45 minutes is recommended for observations. Additionally, in collaboration with the university, consulting teachers offer workshop training sessions for interns. The workshops include sessions on creating a positive classroom culture, implementing new instructional strategies, and valuing diversity.
Joint Governance
The PAR Panel administers the PAR Program and is made up of seven members, four teachers and three administrators. The four teachers are appointed by the Columbus Education Association President and the three administrative members are appointed by the Superintendent of the Columbus Public Schools. Decisions require a five vote majority to pass. This panel selects and assigns consulting teachers, oversees training of those instructors, monitors the progress of each participant, and reviews all final reports or evaluations. See page 4 of the Columbus Handbook for more on the PAR Panel.
Fair Process for Evaluation and Dismissal
PAR consulting teachers are given a PAR Performance Rubric in order to help them better assist and clearly evaluate the intern or intervention participant. Interim summary reports are also conducted to assess ongoing progress. Though the consulting teacher provides his or her recommendation as to whether the instructor should remain in the classroom, the PAR Panel goes over each case carefully and makes the final decision. See pages 13-15 of the Columbus Handbook to view Columbus' performance rubric.
Reform Panel
Because of the high levels of collaboration, communication, and trust needed to make a program like PAR successful, the Columbus Education Association and the Columbus Public Schools have created the Reform Panel, a body that oversees proposals for innovation. Administrative teams or staff can present proposals that ask for contract waivers and/or changes in administrative practice and Board of Education policy. See pages 22-23 of the Columbus Handbook to read more about the panel.
The following resources provide additional information on Columbus' PAR program.
- This handbook provides an extensive overview of the Columbus PAR program. It includes the history and overview of the program, essential program elements, and useful tools, such as rubrics, sample contract language, templates for intervention referral, PAR Panel reports, an Intern Interim Summary Report, a goal setting agreement, and more.
- This PAR brochure outlines the PAR program's major characteristics in a single chart and concisely explains many other aspects of the program.