Image of Facebook post from Sarcoxie R-2 celebrating APR score of 92.8%

Celebration is in order for Sarcoxie R-II! The district of around 700 students in Southwest Missouri recently scored 92.8 on Missouri’s Annual Performance Report (APR), a measure that demonstrates how well districts are meeting expectations of the state’s school improvement program known as MSIP-6.

The score puts Sarcoxie in the top 5 percent of all Missouri districts and represents significant growth for the district – up from a score of 82.1 in 2023 and 71.6 in 2022.

School leaders say a big reason for their district’s success is a focus on teacher development.

“We want to grow good teachers, and we want them to be good now but actually better tomorrow and for the next 20 years here at Sarcoxie,” Superintendent Phil Lewis said.

To support this focus, Sarcoxie has been a longtime partner of the Network for Educator Effectiveness, having used NEE since 2014 to enhance teacher development with classroom observations, feedback, student surveys, and teacher professional development plans.

School leaders described several factors that have contributed to their success with NEE:

  1. Maintaining consistent “focus indicators” during observations. For several years, Sarcoxie school leaders have measured the same four indicators during observations of teachers: NEE Indicators 1.2, 4.1, 5.3b, and 7.4. The four indicators – which measure cognitive engagement, critical thinking, student-teacher relationships, and monitoring the effect of instruction – were selected because they are “things we think impact the classroom the most,” said Elementary Principal Dusty Feather.  This approach has led to consistent focus areas that allow leaders and teachers to become deeply familiar with the rubrics and scoring processes. “NEE has given us a common language,” Feather said.

  2. Using additional data points to inform teacher development. In addition to observations, Sarcoxie incorporates data from teacher professional development plans and student surveys to develop a robust picture of teachers’ strengths and opportunities. “NEE puts everything in one place. I can see from year to year the growth in a teacher. I can pull up their PD plan while I’m doing my observation” to understand that teacher’s goals, said High School Principal Zach Staples. With student surveys, “getting teachers some perspective of what the students’ thoughts are and how things are going in the classroom has been big,” Staples said.

  3. Understanding the importance of good feedback. NEE training for school leaders emphasizes the importance of providing teachers with effective feedback after an observation – a practice that Sarcoxie administrators have fully embraced. “The most important part, and I tell my teachers this from the beginning, is that feedback loop between me and you and what’s going on in the classroom,” Staples said. “Teachers want feedback, and the more feedback they can get – whether that’s from their students or whether that’s from us – that’s where they’re going to grow the most.” Feather agreed, saying: “The most important part is I try to put quite a bit of feedback in the actual observation when I send it back” to the teacher.

  4. Utilizing NEE Data Tool features to improve time management. Using the NEE Data Tool online platform, school leaders can track their number of observations and set goals for themselves to stay on track. “Time management is always something (principals try to improve), and putting the importance on instruction has been a big part of why I think we’ve seen so much growth,” Staples said.

Sarcoxie R-II’s impressive 92.8 score on Missouri’s APR is a testament to the district’s commitment to teacher development and student success. By focusing on consistent observation practices, incorporating data from multiple sources, providing meaningful feedback, and leveraging tools like the NEE Data Tool, Sarcoxie has built a strong foundation for continuous growth and improvement. Congratulations to the entire school community for this remarkable accomplishment!

The Network for Educator Effectiveness (NEE) is a simple yet powerful comprehensive system for educator evaluation that helps educators grow, students learn, and schools improve. Developed by preK-12 practitioners and experts at the University of Missouri, NEE brings together classroom observation, student feedback, teacher curriculum planning, and professional development as measures of effectiveness in a secure online portal designed to promote educator growth and development.