The teacher leadership and compensation system and the teacher leadership supplement (TLS) are outcomes of the 2013 state legislative session (Division VII of House File 215). The Iowa Department of Education provided funding and guidance to school districts across the state to develop a vision and goals for a teacher leadership system that meets the needs of the local school community.

Cedar Rapids Community School District is proud to continue to participate in this high leverage strategy to increase student learning and achievement.

During the 2020-2021 school year, our teacher leadership and compensation system was re-evaluated on its three-year cycle—the second re-evaluation of the system. A committee of teachers and building- and district-level administrators collaborated to formalize the following information:

We believe in

1. PLCs
2. Coaching
3. Data-driven decision making
4. System alignment
5. A guaranteed and viable curriculum

To do this, we will

1. Provide teacher teams and collaborative groups regular time and structures to interact and address common issues regarding curriculum, assessment, instruction, and the achievement of all students (HRS 1.4)
2. Provide teachers with clear, ongoing coaching of their pedagogical strengths that are based on multiple sources of data and are consistent with student achievement data (HRS 2.4)
3. Provide time and structures for teachers and buildings to analyze and interpret data regularly to monitor progress toward school achievement goals (HRS 3.5)
4. Provide a safe, supportive, collaborative culture in which the diversity of every learner is valued and embraced

In order to

1. Empower teachers to own the PLC process and lesson design
2. Build the capacity of our teachers and leaders
3. Monitor all student’s progress and achievement
4. Align our TLC system to create coherence in teacher leadership, coaching, and professional learning

Teacher leadership and compensation goals

High Reliability Schools Leading Indicator 1.4: Collaborative teams regularly interact to address common issues regarding curriculum, assessment, instruction, and the achievement of all students.

• Lagging Indicator: By June of 2022, all PLCs will demonstrate proficiency at the implementing level as measured by the administrators on the SIG.

High Reliability Schools Leading Indicator 2.1: The school communicates a clear vision as to how teachers should address instruction.

• Lagging Indicator: By June 2022, all teachers will set an IPDP goal based on a prioritized NASOT element, receive effective coaching during a coaching cycle to show growth on prioritized elements, and show improvement on the related scales.

High Reliability Schools Leading Indicator 3.5: The school analyzes, interprets, and uses data regularly to monitor progress toward school achievement goals.

• Lagging Indicator: By June 2022, all teachers will administer all the CRCSD common unit assessments to at least 95% of students and will use the data in PLCs to guide and adjust instruction.