Exemplar S.M.A.R.T.

Goals

INTRODUCTION
This collection of exemplar S.M.A.R.T. goals includes student learning goals and professional
practice goals for teachers, specialized instructional support personnel, and administrators.
Created by Massachusetts educators during ESE-facilitated workshops in Spring 2013, these
goals focus on aspects of practice and student learning, including but not limited to:
 curriculum and assessment development
 student performance on revised MA Curriculum Frameworks
 collaborative learning and support
 leadership skills
 differentiated instruction
 promoting health and wellness
 community engagement strategies

PURPOSE of EXEMPLAR S.M.A.R.T. GOALS

These exemplar S.M.A.R.T. goals span multiple topics and measures and include individual and
team goals one to three years in duration. The variety reflects the diversity of foci across
individual educators, schools, and districts, and underscores the importance of crafting goals
that are targeted and relevant to the individual educator or team of educators. These goals are
intended to serve as a valuable resource to guide—not prescribe—the goal development
process for others.

ESE PROTOCOL for GOAL DEVELOPMENT

A description of the process, protocol, and templates used in the ESE workshop on S.M.A.R.T.
goal development are available on ESE’s website at
http://www.doe.mass.edu/edeval/resources/implementation/. Districts and schools may use both
the exemplar goals and the protocol as resources in supporting educators to develop targeted,
concrete S.M.A.R.T. goals for educator evaluation.

ESE thanks the following Massachusetts educators for their participation in the development of
this valuable resource.
Jennifer Agnese Valerie Diggs Noa Lai Kristan Rodriguez
Kevin Andriolo Rebecca Duda Lisa Leach Eugene Roundtree
Therese Caccavale Sarah Dugan Lisa Lineweaver Chris Louis Sardella
Dawn Carney Mary Ellen Dunn Kathy Lobo Mary Shapiro
Marissa Castello Jeanne Dyer Meghan McCombs Nicole Sherf
Robin Cichetti Stacey Faris Jennifer Milia Christine Soverow
Jessica Clifford Janet Forte Helen O’Donnell Joan Struzziero
Judith Cournoyer Jodi Fortuna Marjorie Osherow Judith Styer
Patrick Daly Tiesa Graf Robert Putnam Caroline Tucker
Linda Davis-Delano Sandra Guryan Karen Raimo Coleen Walsh
Mary DeLai Sandy Kelly Gaby Richard-Harrington Antoinette Young
 Contents
TEACHERS................................................................................................................................................... 2

EARLY EDUCATORS ............................................................................................................................... 2

GENERAL ELEMENTARY ........................................................................................................................ 2

ELA/History/ESL Team.............................................................................................................................. 3

SCIENCE ................................................................................................................................................... 3

MATH......................................................................................................................................................... 4

FOREIGN LANGUAGE ............................................................................................................................. 4

ARTS (Music) ............................................................................................................................................ 5

ARTS (Fine Arts) ....................................................................................................................................... 6

ARTS (Visual Arts) .................................................................................................................................... 6

TEACHER MENTOR ................................................................................................................................. 7

PHYSICAL EDUCATION........................................................................................................................... 7

READING SPECIALIST* ........................................................................................................................... 8

SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT PERSONNEL ...................................................................... 9

LIBRARIAN ................................................................................................................................................ 9

SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST ...................................................................................................................... 9

NURSE .................................................................................................................................................... 10

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY ......................................................................................................... 10

GUIDANCE COUNSELOR ...................................................................................................................... 11

ADMINISTRATORS .................................................................................................................................... 12

PRINCIPALS/ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS/DIRECTORS ......................................................................... 12

SCHOOL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATORS ............................................................................................. 12

SUPERINTENDENT/ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT ........................................................................ 13

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 TEACHERS

EARLY EDUCATORS

Student Learning S.M.A.R.T. Goal Professional Practice S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Check whether goal is individual or team; Check whether goal is individual or team;
write team name if applicable. write team name if applicable.

Individual Individual
Team: Kindergarten teachers Team: K-2 teachers
Because early childhood literacy skills are critical to In order to adequately prepare students to succeed
future success, we will increase the average in the next grade level, the early childhood
percent of at risk Kindergarten students who teachers will each identify and employ 2-3
achieve letter-naming fluency on the spring strategies to improve student engagement within
assessment administration of DIBELS from 65% to large group, literacy-based activities. Teachers will
80%. assess their effectiveness by May 1 through
increased participation, as evidenced by visual
attention, appropriate verbal or nonverbal
responses, and physical presence.

Goal Duration: 1 year Goal Duration: 1 year

GENERAL ELEMENTARY

Student Learning S.M.A.R.T. Goal Professional Practice S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Check whether goal is individual or team; Check whether goal is individual or team;
write team name if applicable. write team name if applicable.

Individual Individual
Team: Grade 4 teachers Team: Grade 4 teachers
In recognizing the importance of effectively To establish consistent learning expectations and
communicating mathematical thinking, the grade 4 more informative measures of student learning in
team will create open-ended performance tasks (at Grade 4, grade level teachers will create,
least one task in each of the five domains outlined implement, and refine at least one common
in the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for mathematics assessment and/or rubric that
Mathematics) to assist students with developing promotes shared objectives and learning
higher order thinking skills in mathematics. By expectations in each of the five domains outlined in
June, all grade 4 students will demonstrate mastery the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for
of 80 percent of the processes that effectively Mathematics. This work will begin in year one and
communicate thinking on open-ended higher order refined in year two.
thinking tasks, as measured by a teacher-created
common rubric.
Goal Duration: 2 years
Goal Duration: 1 year

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 ELA/History/ESL Team

Student Learning S.M.A.R.T. Goal Professional Practice S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Check whether goal is individual or team; Check whether goal is individual or team;
write team name if applicable. write team name if applicable.

Individual Individual
Team: 10th grade English teacher, 10th Grade Team: 10th grade English teacher, 10th Grade
U.S. History teacher, ESL educator U.S. History teacher, ESL educator
In order address historically low scores on open In order to help all educators build understanding
response items and help to raise the school’s and take ownership of the WIDA standards,
overall AYP on the state mandated ELA test, 100 particularly as we address the move in the
percent of our students will increase their average Common Core toward understanding informational
ELA open response scores by at least ½ point from texts, we will work collaboratively to identify 2-3
the prior year. instructional strategies to better enable all students
to work with informational texts. Each team
member will pilot the same 3 research-based
strategies and analyze their effectiveness across
all students. Together, we will determine the most
effective strategies and share our findings with all
school staff by the end of the school year.
Goal Duration: 1 year Goal Duration: 1 year

SCIENCE

Student Learning S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Check whether goal is individual or team;
write team name if applicable.

Individual
Team:
In order to increase performance of ELL students on multipart open response test items, I will improve
support of ELL students in vocabulary acquisition (content and assessment words), reading
comprehension, and persistence through the development of two strategies to increase fluency in science
vocabulary and reading comprehension, and a strategy to develop students’ ability to persevere through
complex, multistep problems. By the end of the year, all ELL students will demonstrate increased
attendance and engagement in class, and performance on multipart open response test items on the
end-of-year assessment by the ELL subgroup will improve by 25 percent over prior year.

Goal Duration: 1 year

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 MATH

Student Learning S.M.A.R.T. Goal Professional Practice S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Check whether goal is individual or team; Check whether goal is individual or team;
write team name if applicable. write team name if applicable.

Individual Individual
Team: Team:
In order to increase the level of independent In order to improve my ability to monitor student
practice by at risk students in Grade 8, such that understanding within a unit, I will develop,
they are able to achieve full mastery of the content, administer, and analyze results from a system of
I will develop a system for students to monitor their assessments for one unit that is comprised of three
practice that includes a student self assessment, a informal and one formal assessment, to be
teacher assessment of student progress, and administered in Term 2, and share findings in a
monthly check-ins. I will assess achievement of this curriculum meeting by the end of the Term 2.
goal through progress checks that would compare
changes in independent practice to changes in
performance on interim assessments. The student
and teacher assessments of independent practice
should reach common levels by the end of the
school year with corresponding changes in student
performance on end-of-unit assessments.
Goal Duration: 1 year Goal Duration: 1 year

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Student Learning S.M.A.R.T. Goal Professional Practice S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Check whether goal is individual or team; Check whether goal is individual or team;
write team name if applicable. write team name if applicable.

Individual Individual
Team: Foreign Language Department Team: Foreign Language Department
In order to meet the ACTFL position paper goal of In order to improve design and delivery of
90+ percent target language use/interaction in the proficiency-based instruction and assessment in
foreign language classroom, we will develop and foreign language instruction, our school team will
implement three to four strategies and related develop a model standards-based unit comprised
learning objectives that promote relevant, open- of communicative, performance-based objectives
ended oral interaction between students, such that and a rigorous end-of-unit performance
they reach the target level of interaction by the last assessment, and share results and reflections with
quarter of the year, as measured through teacher other foreign language educators in the district by
and student feedback, peer observation, and May 1st.
videotape analysis.
Goal Duration: 1 year
Goal Duration: 1 year

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 ARTS (Music)

Student Learning S.M.A.R.T. Goal Professional Practice S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Check whether goal is individual or team; Check whether goal is individual or team;
write team name if applicable. write team name if applicable.

Individual Individual
Team: District Music Teacher Staff Team: District Music Teacher Staff
In order to improve student motivation, In order to develop and institutionalize accurate
engagement, and performance on grade level measures of student progress for Standard I:
standards associated with Standard I: Singing Singing Alone and with others a varied repertoire,
Alone and with others a varied repertoire, district district music staff will develop and administer
music staff will develop and administer research- research-based pre- and post performance
based pre- and post performance assessments in assessments in grades 2 and 5 aligned to grade
grades 2 and 5. One hundred percent of grade 2 level standards. We will assess the utility and
and grade 5 students will participate in the pilot; effectiveness of these assessments by the end of
seventy percent of participating students will the year and make necessary adjustments for Year
demonstrate improvement in meeting grade level 2.
standards at the second administration (post-test).

Goal Duration: 1 year ALIGNED GOALS

Goal Duration: 1 year

ARTS (Music)

Student Learning S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Check whether goal is individual or team;
write team name if applicable.

Individual
Team: Music Teacher & Grade 2 Teachers
In order to improve students’ writing and memory skills needed to understand sequence of story lines and
music, I will work collaboratively with Grade 2 teachers on identifying structures in composition of stories
and songs. By the end of one year, 100 percent of grade 2 students will have composed a book which
includes three song tales learned in music class and one original song tale, and 75 percent of the
students will have successfully completed this task with 90 percent accuracy.

Goal Duration: 1 year

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 ARTS (Fine Arts)

Student Learning S.M.A.R.T. Goal Professional Practice S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Check whether goal is individual or team; Check whether goal is individual or team;
write team name if applicable. write team name if applicable.

Individual Individual
Team: Team: District Fine Arts Staff
By May 2014, I will improve student performance In order to better reach all learners through high
related to MA Arts Curriculum Frameworks 5.1 expectations and multiple access points to
(Critical Response) and 8.2 (Concepts of Cultural knowledge, the district arts staff will increase their
Style) through the implementation of 3 new well- skills and practice in technological and social
structured art lessons designed to support and media tools by building an accessible online
enhance the new Kindergarten “Tools of the Mind” technology platform to broaden arts instruction and
units of study. Ancient Egypt, Oceans and Space engage all students in learning. By June 2015, we
will be the topics. Instruction will include highly will integrate this platform into the fine arts’
engaging resources, activities, and materials to teaching practices as demonstrated by an online
challenge students’ higher order thinking skills. By collaboration space that educators will use to share
May, 90% of students will have demonstrated effective instructional strategies, exemplars,
proficiency in both Standards, as measured by a rubrics, and other assessment tools and model
rubric assessing key skills in to each Standard. units.

Goal Duration: 1 year Goal Duration: 1 year

ARTS (Visual Arts)

Student Learning S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Check whether goal is individual or team;
write team name if applicable.

Individual
Team:
In order to improve student understanding of artistic expression and technique, by June of 2014, all 9-12
grade students enrolled in introductory level studio art classes will have knowledge of a variety of artists
from at least three periods of art history; by June 2015, all 9-12 grade students enrolled in advanced
studies of studio art classes will be able to identify a variety of artists across three periods of art history
and identify/connect them with their impact on art and culture.

Goal Duration: 2 years

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 TEACHER MENTOR

Student Learning S.M.A.R.T. Goal Professional Practice S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Check whether goal is individual or team; Check whether goal is individual or team;
write team name if applicable. write team name if applicable.

Individual Individual
Team: Mentor/Mentee Team: Teacher mentors
Using the Standards and Indicators of Effective Based on Standards and Indicators of Effective
Teaching Practice, I will assist one new teacher in Teaching Practice, mentors will strategically
using data from a diagnostic spelling test (i.e. support new teacher needs in gathering at least 12
Barnell-Loft) to identify students a year or more artifacts, three during each quarter, that illustrate
below grade level and support the new teacher in effective instruction within each of the four
providing data driven, direct instruction leading to Standards, as measured by a mentee’s completed
growth of a year or more as measured by the end- professional portfolio by the evaluation cycle.
of-year assessment. Note: This is a student
learning goal for a mentor that directly supports a
new teacher working toward his/her student
learning goal.
Goal Duration: 1-2 years
Goal Duration: 1 year

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Student Learning S.M.A.R.T. Goal Professional Practice S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Check whether goal is individual or team; Check whether goal is individual or team;
write team name if applicable. write team name if applicable.

Individual Individual
Team: Team:
In order to meet the learning needs of all students, In order to more effectively differentiate instruction
I will utilize data from formative unit assessments to to meet the needs of individual students, I will
identify students below performance standards for formatively assess student performance in at least
that unit, and design practice opportunities and one topic covered in MA CF Standard 2: Physical
activities such that at least 50% of those students Activity and Fitness (topics include: Motor Skill
reach proficient performance levels by the end of Development, Fitness and Personal and Social
the unit. Competency). I will then analyze the data and use
the results to make adjustments to at least two
subsequent lesson plans within a given unit. My
goal is to implement this assessment process in at
least three units during the school year.
Goal Duration: 1 year
ALIGNED GOALS Goal Duration: 1 year

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 READING SPECIALIST*

Student Learning S.M.A.R.T. Goal Professional Practice S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Check whether goal is individual or team; Check whether goal is individual or team;
write team name if applicable. write team name if applicable.

Individual Individual
Team: Team: Reading specialists
In order to reduce the achievement gap and get all In an effort to improve communication between
first graders on grade level for reading classroom teachers and middle school reading
comprehension by the end of the 2013-2014 school specialists around strengthening supports to at-risk
year, I will develop and implement intervention students, each reading specialist will collaborate
action plans for all students who enter 1st grade with at least one classroom teacher over the
below an Independent D, such that they advance at course of the school year to develop and
least five levels by the end of the school year. implement intervention action plans for their
struggling readers, including monthly updates to
each plan in response to agreed-upon student
performance objectives.

Goal Duration: 1 year Goal Duration: 1 year

*Reading Specialists may or may not be classified as a classroom teacher, depending on the scope of their role and
responsibilities.

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 SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT PERSONNEL

LIBRARIAN

Student Learning S.M.A.R.T. Goal Professional Practice S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Check whether goal is individual or team; Check whether goal is individual or team;
write team name if applicable. write team name if applicable.

Individual Individual
Team: Team: School librarians
Through direct instruction and adjustments to To improve curriculum-focused collaboration
practice, I will implement appropriate interventions between librarian and classroom teacher, each
and enhancements such that 80 percent of school librarian will work with two teachers in the
participating 9th grade World History students will development of four collaborative units that are
score proficient in the ethical use of information aligned with the Common Core Writing Strand:
(the selection and citation of information gathered Research (to build and present knowledge), with a
from a variety of sources and formats) on their end- focus on improving student use of digital
of-year research project, as measured using a information and media literacy skills. Frameworks
predetermined rubric by May 2014. for these collaborative units will be shared with
district educators at the end of the year as
examples of effective research design strategies.
Goal Duration: 1 year
Goal Duration: 1 year

SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST

Student Learning S.M.A.R.T. Goal Professional Practice S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Check whether goal is individual or team; Check whether goal is individual or team;
write team name if applicable. write team name if applicable.

Individual Individual
Team: Team:
In order to improve students’ abilities to manage In order to expand my role as a school psychologist
anxiety related symptoms and better focus on from testing to prevention and promote a safer and
academic learning, I will employ direct instruction of more supportive school climate, I will identify and
research-based interventions/prevention strategies implement appropriate, research-based social-
with targeted students over an 8-week period, such emotional intervention strategies in small, targeted
that students spend less time in the nurse’s office, prevention/intervention groups comprised of at-risk
report higher attendance rates, and exhibit more students that will meet one time per week for eight
on-task behavior in the classroom. weeks.

Goal Duration: 1 year Goal Duration: 1 year

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 NURSE

Student Learning S.M.A.R.T. Goal Professional Practice S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Check whether goal is individual or team; Check whether goal is individual or team;
write team name if applicable. write team name if applicable.

Individual Individual
Team: District school nurse staff Team:
To improve student time on learning for all students In order to increase educator awareness and
with patterns of non-specific complaints, we will understanding of the impact of physical and mental
work to decrease frequency of nurse visits by 10%, health issues on student academic growth and
reduce length of visits to an average of 10 or fewer progress, I will develop and implement an effective
minutes, and subsequently increase the overall communications plan designed to build knowledge
return to class rate to 90% or more by the end of among classroom teachers in my building by the
the school year. end of the year, with success measured by teacher
feedback data (end-of-year survey) and an
increase in documented collaboration between
classroom teachers and other specialized
instructional support personnel as necessary
(counselors, psychologists, and/or nurses).
Goal Duration: 1 year Goal Duration: 1 year

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY

Student Learning S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Check whether goal is individual or team;
write team name if applicable.

Individual Individual
Team: Technology Educator & Classroom Team: Technology Educator & Classroom
Teacher Teacher
By the end of the school year, all 6th grade students In order to improve student use of Information and
will demonstrate proficiency in basic, standardized Communication Technology (ICT) skills in the
blended research processes using a web-based classroom, ICT skills will be taught and practiced in
platform, as measured by teachers documenting the lab before they are applied to core content
student learning of specific research skills using a within the classroom. Collaboratively developed
common “growth rubric” across three progressive work samples designed to reflect at least three ICT
research assignments. skills will be collected from students in 4th and 5th
grades and evaluated using a common scoring
rubric. By the end of the year, at least 80% of
students will demonstrate proficiency in their use of
at least three ICT skills.
Goal Duration: 1 year
Goal Duration: 1 year

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 GUIDANCE COUNSELOR

Student Learning S.M.A.R.T. Goal Professional Practice S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Check whether goal is individual or team; Check whether goal is individual or team;
write team name if applicable. write team name if applicable.

COMING SOON

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 ADMINISTRATORS

PRINCIPALS/ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS/DIRECTORS

Student Learning S.M.A.R.T. Goal Professional Practice S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Check whether goal is individual or team; Check whether goal is individual or team;
write team name if applicable. write team name if applicable.

Individual Individual
Team: School-level administrator team Team: All school-based administrators
As a school we are determined to close As school-based administrators, we will support
achievement gaps and have students who entered teacher teams associated with core subjects in
at-risk or off-risk leave us on-track and proficient. each grade to develop a comprehensive
So, as an admin team, our goal is to have 80% of assessment system comprised of rigorous mid-
4th graders who entered “at risk” on DESE early and end-of-year performance tasks that will be
warning indicators gain ≥ 1.5 points on the 4 point useful in instructional decision-making and
rubric for our newly developed CCSS-aligned E0Y educator evaluation. Drafts of each assessment
math performance tasks. system will be ready to pilot by January 15th, with
analysis of the assessments’ utility and
effectiveness completed by June 15th.
Goal Duration: 1 year
Goal Duration: 1 year

SCHOOL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATORS

Student Learning S.M.A.R.T. Goal Professional Practice S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Check whether goal is individual or team; Check whether goal is individual or team;
write team name if applicable. write team name if applicable.

Individual Individual
Team: district administrator team Team:
Over a three year period, I will help to improve By 2015 (two years), I will develop and publish a
academic performance of students on the budget plan through a collaborative and
economic margin (those who do not qualify for free transparent process that (a) includes a
and reduced lunch but are still economically comprehensive analysis linking spending to student
challenged), as measured by math and ELA outcomes, and (b) better communicates how
assessment scores, by increasing their resources are allocated in support of district goals
participation in the school lunch program by 5 to improve student achievement, as measured by
percent. Goal implementation will be scaffolded by stakeholder involvement in quarterly meetings,
school year: elementary students: 2013-2014; website traffic, and an annual survey of parent and
middle school students: 2014-2015; high school community stakeholders.
students: 2015-2016.
Goal Duration: 2 years
Goal Duration: 3 years

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 SUPERINTENDENT/ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT

Student Learning S.M.A.R.T. Goal Professional Practice S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Check whether goal is individual or team; Check whether goal is individual or team;
write team name if applicable. write team name if applicable.

Individual Individual
Team: District administrator team Team: District administrator team
In order to ensure that our schools and district During the 2013-2014 school year, we will work to
meet the annual progress and performance index improve parent outreach and communication by
(PPI) levels identified for the 2013-2014 school communicating regularly with families using at least
year, our district team will participate in monthly two 2-way communication tools per month (e.g.
district administrative and program council face-to-face forums and the use of 2-way
meetings aimed at implementing the plan; we will interactive web sites, etc), as well as ensuring
guide and support administrators in identifying a careful and prompt responses to communication
range of appropriate data sources, and using data from families, as measured by a pre- and post-
to accurately assess school and district strengths parent survey, a completed administrative
and areas for improvement, as measured by the reflection, and artifacts of practice demonstrating a
CPI in English language arts (ELA), mathematics 25% increase in parent/administrator
and science; growth/improvement as measured by communications from the prior year.
median Student Growth Percentiles (SGP) in ELA
and mathematics; and high school graduation and
drop-out rates.

Goal Duration: 1 year Goal Duration: 1 year

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