While the PLSAS QComp/Teacher Development and Evaluation (TDE) Program addresses two different sets of statutes,

our district has developed a joint process that intertwines the various requirements, making a seamless set of
expectations for teachers and practitioners. By participating in and completing the various components of the process,
teachers and practitioners will be meeting the requirements set forth by the district as well as those set forth by the
state. To see a detailed explanation of how each component meets the requirements for either one or both of the
programs, select this link:
QComp/TDE Program Summary

Purpose of the Program

With an emphasis on student achievement, using a combination of professional
development opportunities, including collaboration with colleagues in Learning
Teams, multitiered goal setting, and an observation process that encourages
reflection, the aim of the PLSAS QComp/TDE Program is to ensure continuous
improvement and learning for all.
Professional development and learning results from:
Maximizing strengths and working on areas for growth
Setting realistic goals
Maximizing resources
Establishing strategies for continuous improvement
Fostering selfreflection
Monitoring performance
The major program components in which licensed staff participate are:
Observations/Evaluations:
All licensed staff participate in an annual observation or evaluation process. These
observations support individual professional development and encourage reflective practice. Formal observations are
conducted two to three times a year by Peer Coaches and/or administration. Learning Team Leaders conduct
additional PeertoPeer observations.
Engagement Surveys:
Each licensed staff member must annually survey a representative population of their
stakeholders (parents, students, etc.). These surveys provide feedback regarding practices and an opportunity for
reflection.
Learning Teams:
Licensed staff with at least .4 FTE are required to participate in a Learning Team. This jobembedded
professional development team supports improving practices and collaboration. Learning Teams work to set a common
goal, focused on and supported by, student data.
Student Achievement and Personal Learning Goals:
As part of our commitment to learning for all, the district,
building sites, Learning Teams, and individuals must all establish Student Achievement Goals each year. Additionally,
all licensed staff members must identify a Personal Learning Goal each year. These goals drive action and provide a
clearly defined desire for growth.
Depending on the number of FTE, participation requirements in the program may vary. Please contact the QComp/TDE
Coordinator with any questions regarding expectations.

Calendar Overview of the Program Requirements

The timeline and tasks outlined in this table reflect the basic requirements of the PLSAS QComp/TDE Program process.
Please note where differences may occur due to cycle or tenure status. During the school year, please check Schoology
for any changes that may occur to due dates.

Months
SeptemberNovember

Tasks

Due Dates

Review of the program and the frameworks

Oct 1: Site Goal

GoalSetting Meeting with a Peer Coach (15

mins.)this may occur individually or within the
context of a Learning Team meeting

Oct 23: Goalsetting meetings completed

and plans entered into TalentEd (PLG &
SAGs)

GoalSetting Forms completed and submitted for

review by Peer Coach or Administrator

Dec 4: Observation One Window Closes

Make arrangements for an observation

Complete and submit PreObservation Planning
Form
Complete and submit PostObservation
Reflection Form
Review and sign Observation Framework
**Attendance at weekly (50 minute) or biweekly (90
minute) Learning Team Meetings
OctoberMay

Develop and implement a plan for collecting

engagement survey data. At a minimum, all staff
must conduct at least one annual survey of a
representative group of the population for which
they provide instruction and/or services.

NovemberMay

For
probationary teachers
(YR 13), an additional peer
observation needs to occur during the school year,
making a total of four observations for the year.
The

observation may occur any time before May 22.

Arrangements should be made with the designated peer
observer.

April 15: Survey completed and results &

reflection completed in TalentEd

May 20: PeertoPeer Observation

(Probationary & HighCycle Only)

For
highcycle teachers
, either the second or third
observation needs to be conducted by a designated peer
observer. The observation may occur any time before
May 22. Arrangements should be made with the
designated peer observer.
NovemberFebruary

MidYear Goal Reflection Forms completed and

submitted for review by Peer Coach or Administrator
Make arrangements for an observation
Complete and submit PreObservation Planning
Form
Complete and submit PostObservation
Reflection Form
Review and sign Observation Framework
**Attendance at weekly (50 minute) or biweekly (90
minute) Learning Team Meetings

Jan 22: MidYear Reflections for PLG &

SAGs completed and submitted in
TalentEd
Feb 26: Observation Two Window Closes

FebruaryJune

Final Goal Reflection Forms completed and submitted

for review by Peer Coach or Administrator
Make arrangements for an observation
Complete and submit PreObservation Planning
Form
Complete and submit PostObservation
Reflection Form
Review and sign Observation Framework

May 20: Observation Three Window closes

May 27: Final Reflections for PLG & SAGs
completed and entered into TalentEd

**Attendance at weekly (50 minute) or biweekly (90

minute) Learning Team Meetings

Frequently Asked Questions:

Click on the question below to see the response, or scroll through the list of

questions and answers.

Program Participation
1. How do I know what QComp/TDE Program components I have to complete?
2. If I have a leave during the year, how does that impact my participation in QComp/TDE Program?
3. Where can I find the due dates for the different components?
4. When will the various QComp salary augmentation components be paid to staff?
5. Are there any CEUs (continuing education clock hours) available for my participation in QComp?
Learning Teams
6. What should I do if I need to miss a Learning Team meeting?
7. If I have a leave during the year, how does that impact my Learning Team participation?
8. What happens if I dont meet the 85% attendance requirement?
9. Who sees our Learning Team notes and attendance?
10. We discuss our goal at every meeting. Are there other conversations we can have during our Learning Team?
TalentEd
11. Who should I contact if I have questions about TalentEd?
12. TalentEd says I have an overdue task. I know I submitted the form. Why is TalentEd sending me a message?
13. Ack! I accidentally submitted the wrong form in TalentEd. What do I do?

Program Participation Questions

How do I know what QComp/TDE Program components I have to complete?

1 FTE
34 Observations depending on
probationary or tenured status

.99 FTE to .4 FTE*

34 Observations depending on
probationary or tenured status

.39 FTE or less

13 Observations depending on
probationary or tenured status

 Full participation in a Learning Team

Teambased Student Achievement
Goal
Individual Student Achievement Goal
Personal Learning Goal
Engagement Survey

Participation in a Learning Team

(Choice to participate fulltime and
be eligible for the total amount of
salary augmentation or participate at
a prorated amount based on the FTE
for a prorated amount of salary
augmentation)

Individual Student Achievement Goal

Personal Learning Goal
Engagement Survey

Teambased Student Achievement

Goal
Individual Student Achievement Goal
Personal Learning Goal
Engagement Survey
*A teacher must have at least .4 FTE to
be eligible for QComp salary
augmentation.

If I have a leave during the year, how does that impact my participation in the QComp/TDE Program?
A staff member that takes leave during the year is eligible to receive prorated salary augmentation based on his or her
adjusted FTEs. For example, a fulltime staff member is eligible to receive $1,600.00. If that staff member takes a
12week maternity leave, she would be eligible to receive a prorated amount of $1080.00 based on the adjusted FTEs
(125/185= .675 FTEs; .675*$1,600= $1,080).

Staff taking a leave should contact a Peer Coach or administrator to create a modified plan for the completion of the
program components.
Where can I find the due dates for the different components?
All of the due dates are posted on Schoology in the PD/QComp Course.
When will the various QComp salary augmentation components be paid to staff?
Salary augmentation earned for satisfying the observation component (65%) is paid in June. Salary augmentation
earned for meeting the Teambased Student Achievement Goal (25%) and the Sitebased Student Achievement Goal
(10%) is paid in the fall of the following school year. If the attendance requirement for Learning Team is not met, the
total amount of salary augmentation is withheld. (See Learning Team Questions.)
Are there any CEUs (continuing education clock hours) available for my participation in QComp?
While the QComp/TDE Program is a jobembedded professional development program, we have determined that some
clock hours will be awarded for participation in Learning Teams and the observation/evaluation reflection process.
Learning Team Leaders will receive an additional clock hour towards Category G: Leadership. Clock hour certificates
are available in the Materials section of the PD/QComp Course.

Learning Team Questions

What should I do if I need to miss a Learning Team meeting?
Hopefully, you'll be able to plan so as to avoid missing a meeting. However, when an occasion arises that prevents you
from being able to attend your Learning Team meeting, you should notify your Learning Team Leader or another
member of your Learning Team. Your absence should be recorded on the meeting notes for that week as a 0. Based
on the meeting calendar for the year, staff must attend 85% of the minimum required minutes. Minutes cannot be
banked, as the intent of the meetings is to have consistent time reserved for jobembedded professional
development.

If the absence is due to an administrator request or an IEP meeting, the absence is considered Excused. While no
minutes are earned for attending Learning Team for that time, the absence does not count against the 85% attendance

requirement. The attendance should be recorded by the Learning Team Leader as Excused with a note regarding the
reason. (
Learning Team Notes HowTo
)
If I have a leave during the year, how does that impact my Learning Team participation?
A staff member that takes leave during the year will have the minimum number of Learning Team minutes prorated to
match his or her adjusted FTEs. For example, if a fulltime staff member meets weekly for 50 minutes she would be
able to accrue 1,750 minutes for the year. If that staff member takes a 12week maternity leave, her minimum
required minutes would be 1,181 based on the adjusted FTEs (125/185= .675 FTEs; .675*1,750= 1,181).
What happens if I dont meet the 85% attendance requirement?
A staff member must attend 85% of the minimum required minutes based on the teams meeting calendar (50 minutes
weekly or 90 minutes biweekly). Minutes cannot be banked, as the intent of the Learning Team meetings is to have
consistent time reserved for jobembedded professional development. Because Learning Team participation is an
expectation of professional responsibilities as part of the QComp/TDE Program, if the attendance requirement is not
met the total amount of salary augmentation is withheld.
Who sees our Learning Team notes and attendance?
The notes are viewable by the Learning Team members, the Peer Coaches, and the QComp/TDE Program office staff.
Notes are saved on the Google Drive template that was provided to each team.
Learning Team notes serve several purposes:
First, the notes are the Learning Team's record of the significant work that is done at each meeting. This is a
valuable reference for monitoring the teams progress and when completing midyear and yearend reflections.
Second, the notes are a communication tool between the Peer Coaches and the Learning Teams, allowing
coaches to stay connected and offer support as needed.
Lastly, the notes provide a record of time and attendance, which are two pieces of data that allow us to
demonstrate accountability.
We discuss our goal at every meeting. Are there other conversations we can have during our Learning Team?
Absolutely! Here are some ideas:
What Learning Communities Do
and
The Work of Learning Teams

TalentEd Questions
Who should I contact if I have questions about TalentEd?
First, TalentEd offers a "Help" feature within the system (bottom of the screen). This is a good first stop if you have a
general "how to" question, such as "How do I know if a form was approved?" Another resource would be the Peer
Coaches. They can help with more specific "how to" questions, such as "Which form do I need to use?" Lastly, account
specific questions can be directed to Michelle Neumann (
mneumann@priorlakesavage.k12.mn.us
or 60053), such as "I
know I submitted this form, but my observer says she can't see it. Can you check?"
TalentEd says I have an overdue task. I know I submitted the form. Why is TalentEd sending me a message?
In TalentEd language, "overdue" means that the task isn't totally complete, which likely means that the person
responsible for signing off on your form hasn't done so yet. The system is set up to let both individuals know that task
still needs attention. A task is not considered complete until all parties have completed their portion. Also, TalentEd
automatically sends an update every Sunday night regarding the status of anything related to your assigned process
(due dates, signatures, etc.).
Ack! I accidentally submitted the wrong form in TalentEd. What do I do?
If you feel you've submitted a form in error, please email Michelle Neumann (
mneumann@priorlakesavage.k12.mn.us
)
with the title of the form and a description of what occurred. To prevent submitting the wrong form, confirm that you
are filling out the correct form AND that the form is associated with the correct process.