The Teacher Evaluation Task Force dug in over the summer and conducted research on key elements behind creating a new evaluation model based on law requiring all teachers to be evaluated beginning in the 2014-15 school year. The group has focused on gaining the growth and evaluation cycle, student achievement and student engagement data, implementation and LEA support, performance standards, and professional development.
Committees began to to provide recommendations in each of these key areas to larger task force and gain feedback at the last meeting in August. The task force will hear the final reports from these committee at the Sept. 20 meeting and chairs of each of these committees will meet Oct. 2 to coordinate the draft of a plan. The group has felt crunched and will continue to meet more regularly through the fall.
Among the challenges has been finding the words to name each performance category as well as the criteria behind it. It has spurred interesting debates on the connotations and preferences of words like “efficient” and “proficient.” Dialogue has prompted a series of questions, including “Do you want to be called basic as a seasoned teacher?,” “What does effective really mean?” and “Would teachers want to be called proficient?” The group also is considering how the evaluation process would impact counselors, physical education instructors and nurses.
We invite you to weigh in on the words – specifically what “efficient” and “proficient” mean to you by posting your comments below. We’ll share them with the task force.