Peer Observer Pilot Program MOU
MEMORANDUM
OF UNDERSTANDING
This
Agreement is entered into between the DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS (“District”) and
the DENVER CLASSROOM TEACHERS ASOCIATION (“DCTA”). The DCTA and the District
believe the optimum student performance can be achieved only if there is a
qualified teacher in every classroom and qualified evaluators working with each
school site. They have jointly developed the Gates Accelerator grant which will
include the development of a teacher evaluation system, including an analysis
of the current teacher evaluation system, to examine current practice and the
creation of a process that accurately reflects a teacher’s performance,
including effective and consistent implementation of the system. Included
in the project’s design team work regarding the creation of a new process, the
parties want to review the effectiveness of peer observation. In order to engage in a pilot study of a peer
observation element of an improved evaluation process in January of 2011,
Denver Public Schools has funded approximately 8 positions to support the role
of peer observer.
Accordingly,
in regard to the terms of employment for the peer observers, the parties agree
as follows:
1.
To
enter into this Pilot peer observer/evaluator/reviewer role, the purpose of
which is to inform the evaluation process, to provide inter-rater reliability
and to assist teachers employed by the District in the development of
proficiency in performance of their duties and to test the components of the
Project design team’s peer observation element(s).
2.
To
establish a peer observation program, on a trial basis, in which the District
will employ the peer observer as a Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) whose
primary responsibilities are described in the attached job description. No less than 60% of the peer observers hired
for the pilot will have been in the classroom 3 of the last 5 years. Training for peer observers will include an
understanding of DPS curricular resources.
3.
The
parties agree that the peer observers shall be considered eligible for
membership in the Association. While
they will continue to be members of the bargaining unit, the following articles
of the DCTA/DPS Agreement are waived and are not applicable to the peer observers:
Article 7 (Grievance
Procedures) – The Article 7 provisions on grievances shall apply only to
grievances by peer observers against their supervisor. Furthermore, the Association shall have no
right to representation of the peer observer in the event that a teacher
grieves any aspect of the evaluation process in which the peer observer
participates.
Article 8
(Professional Standards) – The Article 8 provisions on professional standards,
including, but not limited to, the provisions pertaining to the contract year
and the work week, shall not apply to the peer observers.
Article 10
(Performance Evaluations) – The Article 10 provisions on Performance
Evaluations shall be waived for the peer observers. The evaluation process for Peer Observers
will be in alignment with the district’s Employee Performance Management
Process, including the forms, goal setting and accountability to district
success factors, unless otherwise determined by the design teams or project
leadership team and approved by the Steering Committee.
Article 13
(Assignments, Schedules and Transfer) – The Article 13 provisions on
assignments, schedules and transfers shall not apply to the peer observer. Peer observers shall continue in their role
as observer at the discretion of the Executive Director, Teacher Effectiveness,
unless otherwise determined by the design teams or project leadership team and
approved by the steering committee. Observers
who have non-probationary status, who are removed from their role as a peer
observer, shall have the right to return to the classroom, in a position for
which they are highly qualified. This
pilot is for the 2010-2011 school year only. Continued employment in the peer observer role will depend on whether
the program itself is continued and/or whether the individuals involved in the
pilot are selected to continue in their role.
Article 31 (Salary) –
The Article 31 provisions on salary shall not apply to the peer observers. Salary will be set by district administration,
but the salary for the peer observer set by the District Administration shall
not be lower than the annual base salary that they were earning as a DCTA
bargaining unit member prior to taking the peer observer role, regardless of
the difference in work year calendar. The
peer observer shall be entitled to this level of compensation only during the
period in which they serve in this capacity. Observers shall not be eligible for incentives under ProComp or any
other compensation in Articles 31 or 32.
Article 32 (Extra
Duty Compensation) – The Article 32 provisions on extra duty compensation shall
not apply to the peer observers.
4.
Should
the pilot not be implemented in 2010-2011, the peer observers that had earned
non-probationary status prior to entering into the peer observer role shall
have the right to return to a classroom teaching position or other position to
support other aspects of the Gates Teacher Performance Management Project as
may be identified.
5.
Unless
otherwise determined by the design teams or project leadership team and
approved by the steering committee, teachers participating in the pilot who are
identified for remediation will also be evaluated according to the current evaluation
process and documents.
6.
The
terms of this MOU do not constitute a precedent for this or any other positions
within the District and both parties reserve any rights regarding
classification of this position on termination of the MOU. Either party can terminate this MOU at any
time by providing the other party thirty (30) days written notice of intent to
terminate.
7.
Any
additional elements agreed upon by the Project Steering Committee for the 2010
– 2011 pilot prior to the implementation of the pilot can be considered as part
of the project unless it conflicts with this MOU.
8.
Peer
observers will receive a copy of this MOU as part of the hiring process.
Dated: __________ Denver Public Schools
By:
_________________________________________
By:
_________________________________________
Dated: __________ Denver Classroom Teachers Association
By:
_________________________________________
By:
_________________________________________