Two-Year Timeline for Developing a Rigorous Evaluation System

Two-year timeline for developing a rigorous evaluation system

The key to implementing an effective evaluation process is to have a well-functioning district that works systemically – one in which the focus is already on improving the quality of instruction and raising student achievement. Districts that have an aligned curriculum, a culture of instructional feedback, effective principals, and a human capital management system focused on improving teacher quality can move from concept to implementation in one year.

Many districts will need at least three years to be in a position to implement an effective teacher evaluation system. The Matrix for Improving Schools at Attachment A outlines some of the key actions districts should take to lay a strong foundation for tying teacher evaluations to student achievement.

Three years of preparation is preferred. However, if districts find that they have to move more quickly (as a result of legislative requirements or pressures from departments of education for example), they should focus their efforts first on building the foundation for improving the quality of instruction and aligning the district system in a way that will support teachers and principals and increase their capacity to achieve specific performance metrics.

The outline on pages 3 through 6 will help guide the development of a plan to create a fair, accurate, and rigorous teacher and principal evaluation system in two years. Except where noted, the actions in the “Teacher Evaluation” column should be conducted by the principal and other building leaders, under the guidance and with the support of the District. The District should complete the actions in the “Principal Evaluation” column.

June - August 2012
Teacher Evaluation
(Principal/ school actions) / Principal Evaluation
(District actions) / Details/ Notes
·  Review seven considerations of effective evaluation systems / ·  Review seven considerations of effective evaluation systems / ·  What does a great school look like?
·  What do effective teachers and principals do?
·  How will teacher and principal effectiveness be monitored?
·  Is there a process in place for developing the capacity of teachers and principals?
·  Will the evaluation system align with the District’s Core Beliefs?
·  How is accountability defined?
·  What is the capacity of the evaluators?
·  Establish the purpose and guiding principles of the new evaluation system / ·  Establish the purpose and guiding principles of the new evaluation system / ·  A small core team should outline the purpose and guiding principles; get input from teacher leaders and principals
·  [District] Get approval from the Board of Education to proceed in concept / ·  Get approval from the Board of Education to proceed in concept
·  Create a Teacher Evaluation Focus Group / ·  Create a Principal Evaluation Focus Group / ·  Include principals or assistant principals in the teacher eval focus group
·  Include principal supervisors/ evaluators in the principal evaluation focus group
·  [District] Adopt an effective teacher performance evaluation rubric / ·  Adopt an effective principal evaluation rubric / ·  Use focus groups to get input on a model the instructional Core Team selects
·  Align the curriculum[1] / ·  Develop curricula in each grade and subject
·  Map the curriculum – identify which objectives will be assessed each quarter
·  Conduct Action Plan training / ·  If possible, do this in April and May of 2012
·  Review and assess Action Plans / ·  Use Action Plan rubric
·  Develop an Action Plan that includes the implementation of a teacher evaluation system and create an aligned staff development plan / ·  Develop plan to support principals and train evaluators / ·  Conduct extensive training of principal evaluators and restructure central office if necessary
·  Conduct training of principals on teacher evaluation and the creation of a staff development plan
September – December 2012
Teacher Evaluation
(Principal/ school actions) / Principal Evaluation
(District actions) / Details/ Notes
·  Begin initial media and information campaign / ·  Build internal and external support for the concept of tying teacher and principal evaluations to student achievement results
·  Begin development of assessments in the core areas
·  [District] Outline the framework and key aspects of the teacher evaluation system / ·  Outline the framework and key aspects of the principal evaluation system / ·  The draft should be done by the end of October
·  Publish and disseminate concept paper by December
·  Train teachers on curriculum alignment and begin using curriculum maps / ·  Train building leaders on curriculum alignment and begin using curriculum maps
·  Begin using the new teacher evaluation instrument (performance rubric) / ·  Begin using the new principal evaluation instrument (performance rubric) / ·  Conduct numerous training sessions to explain the rubrics and to calibrate with evaluators
·  Establish progress-monitoring metrics; outline mid-year review process
·  Begin intensive professional development of principals to make them effective instructional leaders / ·  Include job-embedded professional development
·  Focus on instructional feedback, curriculum alignment, and leadership
·  Conduct intensive professional development on lesson objectives; purposeful, aligned instruction; and multiple response strategies / ·  Help principals begin regular and consistent instructional walkthroughs or spot observations / ·  Conduct intensive professional development on the importance of instructional feedback and building a culture of feedback
·  Identify key instructional practices and develop a spot observation form
·  Focus on lesson objectives; purposeful, aligned instruction; and multiple response strategies
·  Begin development of assessments in the non-core areas / ·  Continue development of assessments in the non-core areas the entire year
·  Conduct school climate survey / ·  Conduct a relatively simple survey with approximately 15 questions (see mid-year review survey questions); this survey will help establish a baseline
January – May 2013
Teacher Evaluation
(Principal/ school actions) / Principal Evaluation
(District actions) / Details/ Notes
·  Begin to record data from the walkthroughs / ·  Rate each area as overall exemplary, proficient, progressing, or unsatisfactory so as to get teachers used to specific feedback and performance measurements
·  Conduct mid-year review (Jan) / ·  Use this review as a practice run for progress on action plan, instructional feedback, curriculum alignment rubric, and climate survey
·  Pilot district assessments in the core areas / ·  Pilot district assessments in the core areas
·  Develop data platform to record and keep track of teacher and school achievement data
·  Conduct system review / ·  Use this first system review as a practice run for the system reviews that will occur in subsequent years
·  [District] Finalize Version One of the teacher evaluation system; get Board approval / ·  Finalize Version One of the principal evaluation system; get Board approval
·  Develop 2013-2014 Action Plan; focus on effective implementation of the teacher evaluation system and aligned professional development / ·  Develop District 2013-2014 Action Plan
·  Review Schools’ 2013-2014 Action Plans
June – August 2013
Teacher Evaluation
(Principal/ school actions) / Principal Evaluation
(District actions) / Details/ Notes
·  Revise curriculum as needed
·  Revise assessments as necessary / ·  Use teacher focus groups and get input on alignment issues
·  Continue development of core and non-core assessments / ·  Use teacher focus groups and get input on assessment concerns
·  Continue media and information campaign / ·  Continue to build internal and external support for the concept of tying teacher and principal evaluations to student achievement results
September – December 2013
Teacher Evaluation
(Principal/ school actions) / Principal Evaluation
(District actions) / Details/ Notes
·  Conduct professional development similar to the year before; add PD on demonstrations of learning / ·  Conduct professional development similar to the year before; add PD on demonstrations of learning / ·  Review teacher and principal evaluation system and metrics
·  Administer assessments in the non-core area / ·  Administer assessments in the non-core area / ·  These assessments should be scored, but the results should not be included in the evaluation for 2012-2013
·  Run data using the evaluation criteria / ·  Use data the rest of the year; compile trial data for the 2012-2013 school year
·  Conduct mid-year reviews / ·  Conduct the mid-year reviews in December and January
January – June 2014
Teacher Evaluation
(Principal/ school actions) / Principal Evaluation
(District actions) / Details/ Notes
·  Establish initial cut points for performance and achievement metrics / ·  Establish initial cut points for performance and achievement metrics / ·  For teachers, establish target distribution and initial cutpoints and finish drafts of achievement templates
·  Create testing and scoring schedule for the 2014-2015 school year
·  Update data platform to keep track of performance and achievement data
·  Conduct systems review / ·  Use systems review rubric; an analysis of the review results will help determine if the District is ready to implement fully
·  Run data using the evaluation criteria / ·  Revise cutpoints as necessary
·  Finalize first-year evaluation of teachers / ·  Finalize first-year evaluation of principals / ·  Revise cutpoints as necessary
·  For principals, first year evaluation score and second year score are averaged to get first “effectiveness level”

F. Mike Miles, 26 Feb 2012Page 1

Attachment A -- Matrix for Improving Schools

Key Areas / Year One / Year Two / Year Three / Year Four
Core Beliefs / ·  Establish/ communicate Core Beliefs / ·  Reinforce / ·  Reinforce / ·  Reinforce
Curriculum Alignment / Classroom Curr. Alignment / ·  Use instructional calendars
·  Post lesson objectives
·  Backward plan
·  Teach the aligned curr. / ·  Use DOLs (demonstra- tions of learning)
·  Tie instruction to aligned common assessments / ·  Ensure vertical articulation
·  Tie instruction to aligned core and non-core assessments / ·  Reinforce
Assessments/ Use of data / ·  Analyze the data already being collected
·  Begin development of core common assess. / ·  Administer core common assess.
·  Begin development of non-core assess. / ·  Administer non-core common assessments
·  Add core progress-monitoring assessments / ·  Reinforce
Quality Instruction / Quality Instruction / ·  Teach the aligned curr.
·  Strengthen engagement – multiple response strategies / ·  Develop model lessons, using effective strategies – train teachers / ·  Develop more model lessons – train teachers / ·  Train teachers to differentiate instruction
Teacher Development and Evaluation / ·  Develop teacher performance rubric
·  Train teachers on effective PLCs / ·  Use performance eval. rubric
·  Implement PLCs
·  Train on model lessons / ·  Select and explain student achievement measurements – create achievement templates / ·  Tie student achievement to teacher evals
Instructional Feedback / ·  Begin spot observations (after principal cert.) / ·  Provide coaching and feedback on instruction / ·  Begin peer spot observations / ·  Provide coaching and feedback on instruction
Leadership / Principal Development and Evaluation / ·  Develop principal performance rubric
·  Train and certify principals on delivering instructional feedback / ·  Use principal eval. rubric
·  Conduct purposeful principal training
·  Provide job-embedded prof. devel. / ·  Refine principal eval. rubric
·  Conduct purposeful principal training
·  Provide job-embedded prof. devel. / ·  Tie student achievement results and teacher effectiveness results to principal evals
Leadership Capacity / ·  Define what leadership looks like
·  Include leadership criteria in eval. rubrics / ·  Conduct academies
·  Expand opportunities
·  Outline distinguished teacher criteria / ·  Conduct academies
·  Expand opportunities
·  Identify distinguished teachers / ·  Include leadership in higher levels of teacher eval
Recruitment / ·  Conduct performance interviews / ·  Change recruitment paradigm / ·  Change recruitment paradigm / ·  Change recruitment paradigm

F. Mike Miles, 26 Feb 2012Page 1

[1] Curriculum is a list of what students are supposed to learn, and those learning objectives should be tied to the new national standards.