B-31104 PEAC Evaluation Question and Answer Addendum~1.docx

B-31104 PEAC Evaluation Question And Answer Addendum

1. Can you clarify how ISBE would like Packet 1 to be organized? For instance, should the vendor follow the structure of the table in D.6., which requests for “evidence of successful experience” and integrate the proposed evaluation plan into the list of evidence in Table D.6. or should the proposed evaluation plan be separate from D.6?

ANSWER: ISBE has no preference in how the vendor chooses to organize the information in their Packet 1. Following D.6 is acceptable.

2. Does ISBE want an analysis of student outcomes in the study? If so, will individual teacher evaluation data be available?

ANSWER: The scope of questions will be determined in consultation with ISBE and PEAC.

3. Is the focus of the study solely on teacher evaluations or should administrator evaluations be included?

ANSWER: The focus of the study is teacher evaluation.

4. Does ISBE maintain a database or have information on the evaluation systems/frameworks that are used by each district across the state to share with the vendor?

ANSWER: ISBE does not have the individual teacher evaluation plans developed by district joint committees.

5. Does ISBE monitor districts’ implementation of evaluation systems to ensure fidelity? If so, will this information be available to the vendor?

ANSWER: As district evaluation plans are developed locally through the Joint Committee, ISBE monitors for compliance only.

6. Does ISBE maintain a contact list of qualified observers for each district that will be available to the vendor?

ANSWER: ISBE has record of all qualified evaluators. Depending upon the scope of questions developed by ISBE and PEAC, information on evaluators may be provided.

7. Should this bid be submitted virtually through Bid Buy, or physically? Page 6 of the RFP states that it should be submitted physically, but page 26 states that pricing should be uploaded to Bid Buy. Bid buy specifies that electronic submissions are accepted.

ANSWER: Only bids submitted electronically through Bid Buy will be accepted. Please be sure to carefully read all instructions. Please review the Notice of Electronic Submission attachment on the solicitation site.

8. If there is not a formal BEP requirement, can you verify that no one will receive 50 points for Category I of the Commitment to Diversity? If the vendor intends on hiring a BEP regardless of the requirement, does that count towards Category I?

ANSWER: ISBE has revised the solicitation to remove this Category.

9. How many references (C10.5) are required?

ANSWER: As stated in A.20, references are not required for this solicitation.

10. Since this RFP includes a Notice of Electronic Submission Attachment, does the ISBE prefer to have the technical narrative submitted as separate packet attachments (if the Bid Buy system allows) or is it preferable to submit one technical narrative with headers labeled by the packet titles shown on p. 7 of the RFP? Note: It is understood that pricing (Packet 2) will be submitted as a separate attachment.

ANSWER: ISBE has no preference but expects any document to clearly and accurately labeled. Please review the Vendor Instructions attachment on the solicitation site

11. Will the vendor have access to the names and contact information of trained evaluators (as well as when they were trained or retrained)?

ANSWER: ISBE has record of all qualified evaluators. Depending upon the scope of questions developed by ISBE and PEAC, information on evaluators may be provided.

12. Are there particular states of more interest to Illinois for the examination of best practices?

ANSWER: At this time, ISBE and PEAC have not identified particular states to include in the examination of best practices.

13. Would the selected vendor have access to individual principals’ and teachers’ item-level scores that comprise their ratings?

ANSWER: The scope of questions will be determined in consultation with ISBE and PEAC.

14. The Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA) (Senate Bill 315; Public Act 96-0861) requires, among other things, that performance evaluations of principals/assistant principals and teachers of a school district or other covered entity must include data and indicators of student growth as a "significant factor”. What types of data and indicators of student growth are being used by the districts (e.g., annual state assessment scores, end-of-course assessments, or those that extend beyond academic achievement, including social and emotional learning [SEL] indicators)? Are there common data points and indicators across all districts in the state?

ANSWER: As district evaluation plans are developed locally through the Joint Committee, and that ISBE monitors for compliance only, there are multiple assessment types that are used in Illinois’ public school districts for the purposes of student growth in teacher evaluation.

15. Where in the offeror's proposed solution to meet the state's requirements would ISBE like the technical approach to the evaluation included?

ANSWER: ISBE has no preference but expects any document to clearly and accurately labeled. Please review the Vendor Instructions attachment on the solicitation site.

16. The proposal states that the research report will examine teacher evaluation implementation statewide. Has ISBE previously collected data on district/school compliance with teacher evaluation law? If so, can ISBE provide information about data quality on teacher evaluation system implementation?

ANSWER: As district evaluation plans are developed locally through the Joint Committee, ISBE monitors for compliance only.

17. Besides teacher evaluation implementation data, does ISBE have questions about the association of system implementation with teacher retention or other outcomes measures?

ANSWER: The scope of questions will be determined in consultation with ISBE and PEAC.

18. How, if at all, will ISBE support stakeholder data collection via survey, focus group, interviews?

ANSWER: Support for data collection will be determined based upon the scope of questions determined in consultation with ISBE and PEAC.

19. Is there flexibility in the deadline for the draft interim report that is due to the Illinois State Board of Education and PEAC co-chairs on or before December 1, 2022 (per page 22 of the RFP)?

ANSWER: There is no flexibility on the deadline.

20. As per the Notice of Electronic Submission only, are offerors only to submit proposals electronically via Bid Buy, and not to submit any paper proposals, as stated in the RFP?

ANSWER: Correct. No paper bids will be accepted. All bid submission documents must be properly uploaded into Bid Buy. Please review the Notice of Electronic Submission attachment on the solicitation site.

21. Can the anticipated budget for this project be shared?

ANSWER: ISBE is unable to share the budget at this time.

22. The RFP states “Full points will be awarded if the Offeror submits a Utilization Plan meeting this solicitation’s goal or demonstrating a commitment constituting a good faith effort. No points will be awarded if the Utilization Plan doesn’t meet this solicitations’ goal or demonstrate a commitment constituting good faith effort.” However, the bid posting, states there is not a mandatory BEP/VBP Participation Goal. Can you confirm which instructions we should follow?

ANSWER: ISBE has revised the solicitation to remove this Category.