Full Menu
Fiscal Year 2021 → Question 1
ANSWER:
Consulting teachers (CTs) in the Department of Professional Growth Systems provide new, novice, and underperforming teachers with coaching support to assist them with transforming their teaching practices in order for them to better meet the needs of the students they serve. As outlined in the data below, the overall ratio between CTs and clients has fluctuated.
Fiscal Year (FY)
Number of CTs
Number of Clients
Ratio of CTs to Clients
FY 2017
33
717
1:22
FY 2018
27
702
1:26
FY 2019
562
1:21
FY 2020
622
1:23
The CTs have a range of responsibilities during a school year, including but not limited to weekly providing informal and formal written feedback to their clients; developing improvement plans; leading data conversations; and planning and facilitating professional development trainings.
As the school year goes on, new teachers who are exceeding all standards receive less intensive support from the CTs and are placed in Consulting Teacher Assist (CTA) status. Consulting Teachers still serve these CTA clients, but with less support (fewer client visits and written feedback reports). At the same time, other clients may require more intensive support, particularly those added after the start of the school year when veteran teachers new to MCPS are identified as underperforming and/or first year teachers who are late hires. The following chart illustrates the expanded CT/CTA/Client list as the school year progresses:
Fiscal Year
Number of Consulting Teachers*
Original Client Number August– October 31
Additional Clients added by November 1
Additional Clients December 1
Total Number of Clients
Ratio of CT: Client
CTA Mid- December
Ratio of CT: Client After the CTA Teachers are Identified
First-year and tenured under- performing teachers
Under- performing new to MCPS teachers with experience
New teachers who are late hires
Prior to the identification of teachers who receive CTA
Reduction of full support. New teachers who are meeting all standards and will not receive the full support.
Quantitative caseload after CTA reduction
668
22
(717÷33)
-31
(717-31=686)
(686÷33)
643
21
38
(702÷27)
-93
(702-93=609)
1:22/1:23
(609÷27)
535
20
7
(562÷27)
-19
(562-19=543)
1:20
(543÷27)
591
19
12
(622÷27)
-51
(622-51=571)
(571÷27)