The Purpose of Review of Instructional Standards Experience (RISE)

The Special Education Career Ladder works with and supports LAUSD Special Education paraprofessionals in their pursuit of a teaching credential.  Review of Instructional Standard Experiences (RISEs) were designed to give Special Education paraprofessionals an opportunity to develop their teaching skills with the guidance of a practicing teacher.  Instructional Standards are to teachers as Academic Standards are to students.  The Instructional Standards for the district are outlined in the Teaching and Learning Framework (TLF).  The TLF is currently used to evaluate LAUSD teachers; therefore the RISEs utilize the TLF to better understand the expectations of effective teaching.  RISEs are not evaluations of job performance.  

Completing the RISE

RISEs must be completed one at a time and approved sequentially.  A RISE must be approved by the Special Education Career Ladder Office before the next one can be submitted.  The quality of the experiences and skills acquired by the individual is important.  It is the responsibility of the participant to work collaboratively with a supervising teacher/rater to determine how the assessments will be completed.  See the following procedures for completing a RISE:

1. Select a rater: The rater can be any LAUSD employee who holds a valid teaching credential.  This is typically a certificated staff member at your work site.
2. Complete each section of the RISE in order.
1. Be concise, but give enough detail to answer the questions.
2. Have the rater review your planned activity BEFORE you complete it.  Be sure the rater signs in Part B: Collaboration with Rater.
3. Arrange a day and time when you will conduct the activity while your rater observes.
3. Conduct the planned activity for the rater to observe.  Be sure the rater completes and signs Part D “Verify Proficiency” for each RISE.
4. Write a reflection for each RISE by completing the given prompts.
5. When all Performance Areas are completed, have the school site administrator or designee sign the Signatures section to verify the Rater was an appropriate person.
6. Sign and submit completed Review of Instructional Standard Experiences via: 

School or US mail:          Special Education Career Ladder Office

Please note that for a RISE to apply to your STEP UP and Teach Level as required for select services, it must be approved at least two weeks prior to the deadline for the request.

Instructions for the Rater

A rater can be any LAUSD employee who holds a valid teaching credential and works with students.  The rater offers advice, reviews the planned activity, observes the activity when performed (if applicable to the Performance Area), determines if the member has shown proficiency in the Instructional Standard, and provides feedback on the activity to the STEP UP and Teach member.  A different rater may be used for each Instructional Standard.

To rate the RISE:

1.    Review the planned activity as written by the STEP UP and Teach member.  Provide suggestions for improvement or corrections where appropriate.

2.    Observe the activity and/or review lesson plans.

3.    Provide feedback to the member for their own professional growth in becoming a teacher using the LAUSD Teaching and Learning Framework.

4.    Determine the level at which the STEP UP and Teach member has shown proficiency in the Instructional Standard: Ineffective, Developing, Effective, or Highly Effective.

5.    Sign the appropriate section of the RISE.

            a. Part B: Collaborate with Rater

            b. Part D: Verify Proficiency

Thank you for your assistance in helping this STEP UP and Teach member take his/her next steps to becoming a Special Education teacher. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please call the Special Education Career Ladder Office at (213) 241-4571.

Approval of the Rise

Completed RISEs are submitted to the Special Education Career Ladder Office.  Certificated Career Ladder staff serve as the reviewers.  The reviewer scores the RISE according to the rubric printed on the last page by reviewing the planned activity description, rater feedback, and Instructional Standard reflection.  This is done as quickly as possible, usually within one week. 

RISEs that meet or are above standards are approved.  You will receive a notice in the mail along with a copy of the next RISE to be completed. The original RISE is kept on file at the Special Education Career Ladder.

When a RISE does not meet the standards or is incomplete, it will be returned for revision and correction.  Please include the original and the revised RISE when resubmitting for approval.

Review of Instructional Standard Experiences Scoring Rubric

All Review of Instructional Standard Experiences will be reviewed according to the following scale: