Additional Achievement Units

Teachers may advance an additional salary interval every two years by earning three Additional Achievement Units. (AAU's). The three AAUs must be attained by August 31st in order for the interval advancement to take place in the contract year.

Basis for Defining an Additional Achievement Unit

"The intent of the Achievement Units is to ground the compensation system in clear measures of growth in teacher practice as well as strong contributions to a professional learning community.”  Article 51.

The TQP also thought it important to study the work of Charlotte Danielson. The Portsmouth School District uses Danielson’s Domains for its Professional Learning Community work and for its evaluations of teachers. Model Teacher status will be determined using Danielson’s Domains. The committee, when establishing AAUs, believed that this passage summarizes Danielson and further provided a main focus for the design, implementation, evaluation, and awarding of Additional Achievement Units:  

“...a unifying thread runs through the entire framework for teaching and provides an organizing structure. That thread consists of engaging students in learning important content. All the components of the framework serve this primary purpose.”

Enhancing Professional Practice A Framework For Teaching. Charlotte Danielson, p.26.          

How to Earn AAUs

AAU's may be earned through:

1. Contributions to colleagues.

2. Overall contributions to students, the school and district.

3. Professional Development activities, such as certain in-district courses and additional coursework in one’s content area or pedagogy, provided such activities are not being used for credit under the provisions of Advanced Degree in Article 48 of the teachers’ contract.

In order for an activity to be considered for an AAU, the activity needs to extend beyond the scope of expected teacher responsibilities and the contractual day. 

The Teacher Quality Panel (TQP) will determine the menu of approved AAUs that fall into the three categories described above. 

AAU Categories

Contributions to colleagues

Teachers may receive AAUs for contributions to colleagues that sufficiently met the intended rigor of this requirement. Some examples include: 

• Developing a mini-course and training in Google Classroom for peers. 

• Developing Promethean course packs and sharing with staff.

• Offering a course.

Overall contributions to students, the school and district

These are significant endeavors that improve programming for students, the workings of a school, or the functioning of the district as a whole. 

• Course development and offering

• Student programming development