The document outlines Pittsburgh Public Schools' vision and strategic plan to empower effective teachers and increase college readiness among students. The plan has three strategic priorities: 1) Increase the number of highly effective teachers, 2) Increase exposure of high-needs students to highly effective teachers, and 3) Ensure teachers and students work in learning environments that promote college readiness. Key elements of the plan include improved teacher recruitment, a differentiated career ladder for teachers, and changes to the teacher evaluation and tenure systems to increase accountability and reward effectiveness. The goal is to increase the percentage of students completing post-secondary education to over 80% within five years.

1. Empowering Effective Teachers

2. Vision for empowering effective teachers We commit that with robust, enduring district support and mutual accountability, Pittsburgh’s teachers will be empowered as effective leaders to do whatever it takes to foster a culture of striving, resilience, and college-readiness so that over 80 percent of all students complete a post-secondary degree or workforce certification. – Pittsburgh Public Schools

3. 7 Helping students plan, prepare, and pay for education after high school

4. We have established a foundation for maximizing teacher effectiveness 7 Capacity in Central Office PreK-12 Rigorous Curriculum Principal Effectiveness Maximizing Teacher Effectiveness

5. Increasing the number of effective and highly effective teachers can improve college readiness to 50% in 5 years 4 % Advanced students % Effective teachers 41 28 % Highly effective teachers 2009 10 11 2014 13 12

6. Our “wheel” – a system for teacher effectiveness Recruit Develop Differentiate roles Reward Evaluate (RISE & VAM) Tenure decision Learning environment

7. Pittsburgh teacher effectiveness strategic priorities Ensure all teachers and students work in learning environments that promote college readiness 3 Increase the exposure of high–needs students to highly effective teachers 2 Increase the number of highly effective teachers 1

8. Jade, PPS 4th grader

9. RISE: R esearch-based I nclusive S ystem of E valuation VAM: V alue- A dded M easure co-developed with AFT, PFT and Mathematica Recruit Develop Differentiate roles Reward Evaluate (RISE & VAM) Learning environment Tenure decision Increase the number of highly effective teachers 1

10. Identify the right attributes Hire early Cast a broader net Recruit Develop Differentiate roles Reward Evaluate (RISE & VAM) Learning environment Tenure decision Increase the number of highly effective teachers 1 Transformed recruiting and selection:

11. PPS/PFT Teacher Academy housed in a high-needs school Tenure becomes a milestone Recruit Develop Differentiate roles Reward Evaluate (RISE & VAM) Learning environment Tenure decision Increase the number of highly effective teachers 1

12. Career Ladder Roles: 9 th and 10 th grade Teacher Excellence Corps Behavior Specialists Instructional Teacher Leaders Clinical Resident Instructors K-8 Turn-around Teachers Recruit Develop Differentiate roles Reward Evaluate (RISE & VAM) Learning environment Tenure decision Increase the exposure of high–needs students to highly effective teachers 2

13. The last part of our inner “wheel” is reward Committed to performance pay and recognition Will be pursued as part of collective bargaining process Recruit Develop Differentiate roles Reward Evaluate (RISE & VAM) Learning environment Tenure decision

14. Ensure all teachers and students work in learning environments that promote college readiness Instill college readiness behaviors Empower teachers as leaders Provide wrap-around support Continually assess & improve Recruit Develop Differentiate roles Reward Evaluate (RISE & VAM) Learning environment Tenure decision 3

15. Jade, PPS 4th grader College-readiness is about successful behaviors and habits as well as academic achievement

16. Our actions along the three strategic priorities transform all parts of our teacher effectiveness “wheel” Ensure all teachers and students work in learning environments that promote college readiness 3 Increase the exposure of high–needs students to highly effective teachers 2 Recruit Develop Differentiate roles Reward Evaluate (RISE & VAM) Learning environment Tenure decision Increase the number of highly effective teachers 1

17. Why Pittsburgh? Solid plan committed to PreK-16 vision Collective ownership with the PFT Sustainability through Governance Community support Financial stability Strong track record Leadership capacity and Office of Teacher Effectiveness