ADEPT for Library Media Specialists
Background
Following statewide implementation of South Carolina's ADEPT system in 1998, it became apparent that the performance standards for classroom teachers did not appropriately reflect what school library media specialists were expected to know and to be able to do. As a result, a statewide work group, comprised of representatives from school districts, institutions of higher education, and the State Department of Education, was formed to develop appropriate performance expectations for library media specialists. Following an extensive field review of these performance dimensions, a formal evaluation model was developed, disseminated for field review, and subsequently piloted during the 2001-02 school year. During the summer of 2002, the members of the work group met with the participants in the pilot project to review the results of the study and to develop recommendations for revising both the performance dimensions and the evaluation model.
The ADEPT performance dimensions for library media specialists were approved by the State Board of Education in June 2003. The complete guidelines and materials for implementing the formal evaluation model appear in the following sections.
Training
Prior to evaluating school library media specialists, all evaluators must successfully complete training in both the district's approved formal evaluation model and the special area model. The following materials are available to assist districts in conducting the special area evaluator training and in providing an orientation for school library media specialists:
- A training videotape (October 2003) may be obtained from each district's ADEPT coordinator and/or from the Distance Education Learning Center (DELC).
- A PowerPoint presentation, ADEPT for School Library Media Specialists, may be downloaded from this site.
Materials
The following materials are needed to conduct ADEPT formal evaluations of library media specialists:
Guidelines. This seven-page PDF document includes the following information:
- Purpose and Intended Use
- Performance Dimensions
- Evaluation Teams
- Orientation
- Required Sources of Evidence and Timelines for Data Collection
- Documentation
- Evaluation Judgments and Conferences
- ADEPT for Library Media Specialists: Formal Evaluation At-A-Glance
- Information Literacy Standards for Student Learning
Documentation. This eight-page Microsoft Word document includes sample key considerations for each performance dimension and provides an electronic template that allows
- individual evaluators to record their evidence and
- the evaluation team to write the consensus report.
Interview Form. This five-page Microsoft Word document includes the instructions and the interview questions necessary to collect evidence for Performance Dimensions 2, 4, 5, and 6.
Reflection. This two-page Microsoft Word document, designed to be used as an electronic template, is to be completed by the library media specialist following each observation, as explained in the guidelines. This reflection, which requires the library media specialist to describe and evaluate both the collaborative planning and the lesson, is part of the evidence that is examined under Performance Dimension 3.
Professional Performance Description. This one-page Microsoft Word document, designed to be used as an electronic template, is to be completed by the building administrator (and other supervisors, as appropriate) near the end of each semester of evaluation as part of the data collection process for Performance Dimension 7.
Professional Self-Report. This one-page Microsoft Word document, designed to be used as an electronic template, is to be completed by the library media specialist, as described in the guidelines, as part of the data collection process for Performance Dimension 7.
Evaluation Summary. This one-page Microsoft Word document is to be completed by the evaluation team following the preliminary and final consensus meetings.
Additional Information
Questions or requests for additional information about ADEPT for Library Media Specialists may be addressed to Kathy Meeks.
The Division of Teacher Quality would like to thank the following individuals whose contributions helped make this project possible.
Video Participants
Martha Alewine
SC State Department of Education
Greta Flinn
Abbeville County School District
Sally Wimberly
Anderson School District 5
Work Group Participants
Mary Lou Benton
Richland County School District 1
Jane Clary
Spartanburg School District 1
Elizabeth Harrell
Lexington County School District 5
Margaret Mackey
Lancaster County School District
Donna Shannon
USC - Columbia
Anne Stone
Lexington County School District 3
Sally Wimberly
Anderson County School District 5
Pilot Project Participants
Ashley Atkinson
Laurens County School District 55
Carol Baker
Lexington County School District 1
Kathy Butler
Laurens County School District 55
Melodie Edwards
Laurens County School District 55
Patrick Hanks
Lexington County School District 1
Margaret Hardman
Lexington County School District 1
Rhonda Harmon
Laurens County School District 55
Robbie Hunter
Lexington County School District 1
Laura McMahon
Lexington County School District 1
Rollin Mills
Lexington County School District 1
Teri Puryear
Lexington County School District 1
Amanda Standford
Lexington County School District 1
Tim Stepp
Lexington County School District 1
Patricia Turner
Lexington County School District 1
Flora Youmans
Laurens County School District 55
Suzanne Zellars
Lexington County School District 1
Special acknowledgements to former staff members of the SC Department of Education
Dr. Angela Bain
Dr. Peggy Torrey