Purpose
The purpose of an Individual Performance Plan (IPP) is to notify a PDS student that some aspect of his or her performance during an internship or student teaching is unacceptable, and that the student is in jeopardy of failure. The IPP includes specific information to document the unacceptable performance, as well as a plan to guide the student towards effective performance.
In the case of a challenging student situation, the coordinator will construct the IPP and provide the following guidance to the University field supervisor:
- Begin documentation as soon as a problem arises. Keep copies of records from the beginning of a problem. We cannot support termination decisions that are made late in the semester when the student has not had an opportunity to receive additional field supervisor support in identified growth areas, and has not had sufficient time to improve in these areas. Keep dated and scripted notes of all telephone and informal conversations, as well.
- Collect documentation from the cooperating teacher. This should include evidence of support, as well as documentation of performance.
- Be sure to listen to the perspectives of everyone involved in the situation so that you will have the “big picture.”
- Every suggestion made to the student should be founded in written behavioral performance program expectations (i.e., criteria on the Formative and Summative Assessments, written policies and procedures guidelines, written expectations, or assignments on a course syllabus). This is crucial if the problem continues and leads to possible placement termination.
- Involve the coordinator immediately. If there is enough behavioral teaching performance documentation, the coordinator may decide to place the student on an Individual Performance Plan (found in the Performance Assessment appendix).
- The field supervisor may not construct the IPP; this is the responsibility of the coordinator. The role of the field supervisor and the cooperating teacher is to provide support and documentation in the identified weak performance areas.
- The director of Education Services must review the IPP before it is introduced to the student.
- The coordinator should call a three-way conference with the field supervisor, and the student to discuss the terms of the IPP.
- The cooperating teacher should be informed of the IPP and asked to continue support and documentation.
- The field supervisor will provide needed support, monitor the IPP, and frequently report the progress to the coordinator.
- The coordinator makes the final pass/no pass decision about successful completion of the field experience.
- Regular communication about the student’s IPP progress must be maintained with the director of Education Services.
Elements of an Individual Performance Plan
A well-written IPP will include each of the following elements:
- Descriptions and Evidence of the Performance Issue, including Language Deficiencies (oral or written)
The IPP should include a detailed description of the professional skill(s) in need of improvement. The description should be very specific. For example, if the student is chronically tardy, state the number of days the student has been tardy. If the student has poor behavior management skills, refer to documented observations by the university field supervisor and the mentor teacher. If the student is deficient in written or spoken language, refer to documented observations and/or examples of the student’s language skills. Whenever applicable, include the cooperating teacher’s concerns about the issue. This section of the IPP should include reference to previous notifications or discussions regarding the unacceptable performance.
2. Expected Performance / Target Goals
Clearly state expectations for performance. The expectations may be comprised of a single expectation or a set of target goals. In one case of a student who repeatedly had been tardy to an internship, the cohort coordinator required that the intern be present in the cooperating teacher’s classroom ten minutes early every day for the next two weeks. The coordinator specifically stated that tardiness is unacceptable behavior and shows a disregard for professional responsibilities. Thus, the student needed to arrive early to demonstrate commitment to the profession.
A student could be directly involved in the development of the first two elements of an individual performance plan. The student could reflect upon the experiences leading up to the IPP and set goals (and action plans) for professional growth related to those experiences. This is part of the regular PDAS assessment plan given to most Texas teachers.
3. Target Dates
Indicate the specific date by which a student must accomplish each expected performance or goal. For example, the chronically tardy student was required to arrive ten minutes early for two weeks. Thereafter, that student was allowed to arrive less than ten minutes early, subject to approval by her cooperating teacher.
4. Clear Statement of Consequences
The IPP must include an unequivocal statement of the consequences for failing to achieve the stated goals or expectations for performance. In the case of the student who was chronically tardy, the student was informed that another tardy would result in removal from student teaching. The student would be required to reapply to the PDS and repeat student teaching another semester.
The coordinator will share the IPP with the director of Education Services for feedback. After that, a completed copy will go to the university field supervisor, the student, and the cooperating teacher.
Recommendation for Course Syllabi
We recommend linking the IPP to syllabi for EDC 371 (Teaching Young Children), EDC 331C (School Organization and Classroom Management), and EDC 950E (Elementary Grade Teaching Practicum). Course syllabi should include a statement such as:
“Inadequate performance or professionalism during the field experience may result in the development of an Individual Performance Plan. The purpose of an IPP is to clearly identify any aspect of student performance that is unacceptable and to establish goals and target dates for improved performance. Failure to achieve the goals of an IPP could results in termination of the student’s field experience.”