Student Learning targets
Information for school leaders and teachers
regarding the process of creating
Student Learning Targets.
What is a Student Learning Target (SLT)?
• A student learning target (SLT) is a measurable goal for student
achievement over a given period of time.
• SLTs should be driven by baseline data on where students are
performing.
• SLTs should be aligned with the appropriate standards for the course.
• SLTs should be measurable by a pre-determined assessment.
Four Components of a Quality SLT
• RATIONALE FOR SLT
What are the critical learning objectives, the content standards aligned to those objectives,
and the assessment plan to be used in measuring student growth.
• STUDENT LEARNING TARGET
Clear statement of the statistical projection of student growth in meeting a pre-established
goal.
• BASELINE DATA
Information about the target audience gathered by the teacher to establish the performance/skills/achievement levels at
the beginning of the year as relates to the critical learning objectives.
• SCORING PLAN AND ACHIEVEMENT RANGE
Clear statement of the ranges of achievement that demonstrate the teacher’s impact on
students meeting a pre-established goal.
What else should I know about SLTs?
• An SLT does not have to be a compilation of everything
you teach in your class.
• An SLT does not have to include every student that you teach. It is recommended that teachers
cover a majority of the students they teach between the two SLTs. For example, if you don’t have
baseline data on a student they should not be included in your target audience.
• An SLT can focus on one or more critical learning objectives within the full range of what students
are expected to learn.
• There must be a valid rubric that determines proficiency of the student.
• There should also be a gathering of evidence of student progress over time (body of evidence)
between the initial assessment and final assessment or aggregation of final results.
Selecting Assessments
 Things to keep in mind when selecting an assessment:
 When possible and appropriate use assessments you are already administering at your school.
 When possible and appropriate use assessments that will also be used to evaluate the students
and school (state assessments: PARCC, iLEAP, LEAP, EOC, ACT).
 When possible and appropriate at least one goal for state assessments should be
based on “Mastery or higher” for PARCC, iLEAP, and LEAP and “Good or
higher” on EOC. ACT goal should be 18 or higher.
 Use assessments found on the state list when appropriate and/or available.
 The list of state and district assessments are not exhaustive. Other assessments may be
appropriate depending on the unique circumstances of each school and teacher assignment.
 The principal has the final authority to approve assessments. This approval should be based
on the quality of evidence and alignment with school goals.
Baseline Data and Progressing
Monitoring
 Baseline Data used to set the target can be from one or more of
the following sources:
 Teacher created EAGLE or other pre-tests
 Previous performance on state assessments
 Computer-based Diagnostic Tests
 Test preparation programs (Buckle Down, ABC EOC series)
 Progress monitoring is encouraged during the year. This can be
done using most of the same assessments listed above.
Who is the Target Audience of the SLT?
• Teachers may set targets focused on an entire class/a specific subject/a cohort or their lowest performing
students.
• The target audience is not necessarily every student taught by the teacher, but it is recommended that it
cover a majority of the students taught by the teacher.
• The teacher and evaluator may collaboratively select a grade level or subject as the target audience so long
as the grade level or subject is representative of a cross-section of all student taught by the teacher.
How is the SLT rated ?
• Approving the SLT (Beginning of the Year)
• Evaluators must agree that the SLT is acceptable based on the following criteria:
• Priority of SLT Content.
• Rigor of Target
• Quality of Evidence
• Rating the SLT (End of Year)
• Evaluators assign teachers a final rating based on students’ progress towards target,
using the agreed upon definitions of effectiveness from the beginning of the year
Insufficient Attainment of Target (1)
Partial Attainment of Target (2)
Full Attainment of Target (3)
Exceptional Attainment of Target (4)
Formula for Achievement Ranges
Sample Based on 60 Students and
70% Achieving Target Goals
Insufficient Attainment is any result below Partial Attainment. (1 point)
32 or fewer students out of the 60 students in the target audience
Partial Attainment is a range from 10-15% below the target to just below the actual
SLT. (2 points)
33-41 students out of the 60 students in the target audience
START HERE: Full Attainment is a range from the actual SLT up to 10-15% above
the target. (3 points)
70% of 60 students - 42-51 students out of the 60 students in the target audience.
Exceptional Attainment is any result above the Full Attainment range. This range
should represent more than a year’s worth of growth. (4 points)
52 or more students out of the 60 students in the target audience.
Guidance on Target Audience and
Percentage for Achievement Range
 Teachers and evaluators have the flexibility to determine which types of targets are
the most meaningful measures of teachers’ work in a given year. It is recommended
that teachers try to address the majority of their students across their two or more
SLTs. If they teach multiple subjects, teachers should prioritize the academic content
areas that are most aligned to the Common Core as they finalize their SLTs.
• The “target audience” should represent no less than 35% of the students taught by the
teacher. **
• The teacher should project no less than 70% of the target audience as “achieving the
goals outlined in the SLT.”**
• **The teacher and evaluator may cooperatively establish higher or lower
percentages for the “target audience” and/or percentage “achieving the SLT goal”
based on baseline data, assessment used, unique circumstances of the teacher’s
assignment, or student population.
Achievement Range Calculator
• Their is an excel calculator to assist teachers and evaluators in establishing (and confirming)
achievement ranges for SLTs.
• Enter into the left hand column the number in the target audience.
• Enter into the next column the percentage projected to be proficient (minimum of 70%). You
can change the percentage to reflect the agreed upon goal.
• The calculator will the give you the achievement ranges for your SLT based on 15% above the
target and 15% below the target. It was also show the corresponding % ranges.
• The range above and below the target can be between 10% and 15% according the state, but
flexibility is given to the teacher and evaluator to use different ranges. This calculator just
computes based on 15%.
Range Examples
 Teacher A
 Last year 80% of her 8th grade students scored Basic or above
on the LEAP.
 The students that she has now scored 69% Basic or above on the
iLEAP.
 A reasonable but challenging goal for this teacher would be that
75% of her students score Basic or above
Insufficient Attainment: 0 - 59
Partial Attainment: 60 - 74
START HERE: Full Attainment: 75% - 90%
Exceptional Attainment: 90 - 100
Range Example
 Teacher B
 28% of her students last year scored Basic and above on the 8th grade




LEAP ELA test.
40% of the students that she has now scored Basic and above on the
7th grade iLEAP ELA test.
Students at a school with similar demographics scored 47%.
The district average is 61% on the 8th grade LEAP ELA.
A reasonable but challenging goal for this teacher would be that 50%
of her students score Basic and above on the 8th grade LEAP.
Insufficient Attainment: 0 - 34
Partial Attainment: 35 - 49
START HERE: Full Attainment: 50 - 75%
Exceptional Attainment: 75 - 100

Writing Process
• Collaborate with other teachers at your school (or district) teaching the same grade and subject.
• Look at samples written by peers.
• Do a draft on the template provided.
• Don’t rush. It make take several attempts to feel good about what you have written.
• Have a peer or supervisor review for support when you feel good about what you have written.
(District and School Level Support System.)
• Consult with your evaluator to insure you are on the same page. This should done at the
beginning of the process as well as near the end of the process.
• Repeat the process for writing a 2nd SLT. (Semester long courses: 1 SLT per semester)
• Refine and polish your final product.
Acknowledgments
 Adapted from an PowerPoint from Pat Deaville from
Calcasieu Parish with edits from Tangipahoa Parish School
System