If you had a chance to read some of my latest posts, hopefully you've noticed that Insight looks
at educator evaluation a bit differently.
Not exact matches
Alternate methods of teacher
evaluations are under discussion
at the state Capitol, including a «matrix» or «grid,» which include a variety of «boxes» or categories for measuring
educators» performance.
At 12:45 p.m.,
Educators 4 Excellence releases a statewide poll of classroom teachers on the state's
evaluation system, LCA Room, LOB, Albany.
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS): Development of online citizen science products such as Google Mercury, Mercury Mappers, Geo Hunters; production and publication of printed and e-book versions of plain language book «Exploring the Inner Solar System»; production of podcasts featuring MESSENGER;
evaluation and dissemination of MESSENGER educational products via AAAS's SciLinks site for
educators; public programs
at AAAS featuring MESSENGER.
While working
at the New Jersey Department of Education, I found our work on improving
educator evaluations to be our most technically and politically challenging initiative.
Based on the literature reviews, observations in the schools and meetings with the departments
at the Ministry of Education, the team presented several key policy considerations to the Ministry: (1) utilize a website, the National Play Day, and the Jamaican Teaching Council as platforms from which
educators can develop and share best game - based learning practices; (2) promote a culture of collaboration through the Quality Education Circles (local discussion groups for
educators), and by allocating time for teachers to develop and share game - based learning strategies; (3) provide resource support for schools in the form of workshops and training; and (4) create a monitoring and
evaluation plan to be conducted
at the school level.
But not for all the usual reasons that people raise concerns: the worry about whether we've got good measures of teacher performance, especially for instructors in subjects other than reading and math; the likelihood that tying achievement to
evaluations will spur teaching to the test in ways that warp instruction and curriculum; the futility of trying to «principal - proof» our schools by forcing formulaic, one - size - fits - all
evaluation models upon all K — 12 campuses; the terrible timing of introducing new
evaluation systems
at the same time that
educators are working to implement the Common Core.
Even if
educators manage to skate past the dizzying array of standards and value - added
evaluations, they must still contend with this fundamental divide: academic rigor, with its unflinching emphasis on measurable success, seems strangely
at odds with emotional intelligence, a soufflé of moods and feelings.
Virtual
educators return to classroom teaching with renewed vigor and enhanced teaching methods, says Susan Lowes, director of research and
evaluation at the Institute for Learning Technologies,
at Columbia University's Teachers College.
States aren't providing clear guidance to
educators on when, what, and for whom to use test accommodations, according to a study by the National Center for Research on
Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing
at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Having worked on
educator evaluation reform
at a state department of education, I do my best to keep up with developments related to the extremely tough work of state - level implementation.
While Bill Padia, director of the policy and
evaluation division
at the California Department of Education, thinks California's state accountability plan is «relatively close» to full NCLB compliance, he too reports that California
educators are skeptical of a system where «you just raise the bar every year and the bar will be up
at 100 percent in 12 years.»
Edward Pauly, director of research and
evaluation at The Wallace Foundation, which commissioned the study, said, «In this difficult economic environment, arts
educators need to use scarce resources to create high quality arts learning experiences.
While
at PSA, she conducted program
evaluations and research in the areas of expanded learning time, school - community partnerships, training and support programs for
educators, social - emotional learning, and afterschool programming.
In a similar vein, a group of teachers known as
Educators 4 Excellence, which is sometimes
at odds with the teachers» union in New York, proposed an alternate
evaluation plan to Cuomo's that uses peers instead of outside consultants.
Not only will this put in place an awful
evaluation system that we oppose for the reasons stated in our letter, it is also an affront
at collective bargaining and our ability as
educators to have meaningful input into the governance of our schools.
New Jersey public schools will begin grading teachers and principals using a new
evaluation system this fall, and
educators received their first look last week
at proposed regulations spelling out in greater detail exactly how they will be judged.
And in Louisiana, pending legislation to link
at least half a teacher's
evaluation to student test scores — a priority under the Race to the Top — has come under intense fire from the Louisiana Association of
Educators, an NEA affiliate, which has turned to automated phone calls and newspaper ads to rally opposition.
If passed, this will take what was the state's teacher
evaluation system requirement that 20 % of an
educator's
evaluation be based on «locally selected measures of achievement,» to a system whereas teachers» value - added as based on growth on the state's (Common Core) standardized test scores will be set
at 50 %.
Includes representation of
educators at all levels and incorporates their input throughout the development, implementation, and
evaluation process; and
In addition to being a key - team member for many of CTAC's partnerships, Mr. Eglinton served as CTAC's co-project director for the TIF - supported Leadership for
Educators» Advanced Performance Initiative (LEAP) with the Charlotte - Mecklenburg Schools, directed CTAC's National Urban Reform Network, led site research and
evaluations teams in Christina (DE) Denver (CO) and Newark (NJ) and trained district leadership teams, community collaboratives, corporate leadership groups and policymaking bodies
at local, state and national levels.
David Weiner, the deputy chancellor in charge of teacher quality, stressed that the issues were «not sticking points» when he spoke with teachers
at an event last week hosted by the advocacy group
Educators 4 Excellence, which supports new
evaluations.
Teachers and principals
at some schools receive training and implement new
educator evaluation system, which for the first time uses student test scores to gauge performance.
Their findings, which come as many teachers are signing next year's contacts, suggest
educators at all grade and experience levels are frustrated and disheartened by a nationwide focus on standardized tests, scripted curriculum and punitive teacher -
evaluation systems.
He spoke on Wednesday evening before about 100 public school teachers
at a panel hosted by
Educators 4 Excellence, an advocacy group for public school teachers,
at the Scholastic Corporation headquarters in SoHo, focusing on two of the most controversial issues of the last year: Common Core implementation and teacher
evaluations.
She describes the hard - working teachers
at her high school and explains how New York state's new
educator evaluation system would harm the work they do:
At the heart of their recommendations, compiled in two separate policy papers, are the following strategies: empowering principals and educators with more autonomy over staffing; leadership and coaching opportunities for excellent teachers; student - focused professional development designed at the school site; direct investment in community engagement; and financial incentives to attract and keep teachers making progress with their students (based on a multi-measured evaluation system) in hard - to - staff school
At the heart of their recommendations, compiled in two separate policy papers, are the following strategies: empowering principals and
educators with more autonomy over staffing; leadership and coaching opportunities for excellent teachers; student - focused professional development designed
at the school site; direct investment in community engagement; and financial incentives to attract and keep teachers making progress with their students (based on a multi-measured evaluation system) in hard - to - staff school
at the school site; direct investment in community engagement; and financial incentives to attract and keep teachers making progress with their students (based on a multi-measured
evaluation system) in hard - to - staff schools.
Educators from 11 states explored these questions through two intense days of learning
at the University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership's 2014 Summer Leadership Institute, «Feedback for Teacher Growth: Tools and Processes to Support Teacher
Evaluation.»
Reviewers must have expertise in education
evaluation or
at least one of the program's absolute priorities (increasing
educator effectiveness; improving low - performing schools; strengthening science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education; boosting academic outcomes for students with disabilities and English language learners; encouraging parent and family engagement; promoting effective use of technology; serving rural communities; and implementing college - and career - ready standards).
«It's not simply a matter about what they scored last year and did they improve,» said Juan Copa, director of research,
evaluation and
educator performance
at the state's Department of Education.
Obviously there's been a tremendous amount of policy around [teacher]
evaluations at the state level, and we haven't seen nearly as much activity in this beginning
educator support arena.
Elizabeth Barkowski is a senior researcher
at AIR with more than 10 years of experience in education program
evaluation, research, and technical assistance, with a particular focus on
educator effectiveness and human capital management.
Across the country, more and more
educators are headed to court to quash test - based
evaluations that have been shown to be unfair and often riddled with errors, offer little guidance, and put
educators at risk of being punished or fired, which are the same issues playing out in New Mexico.
At that point, every district in the state is required to have in place a teacher
evaluation system that will grade
educators on a scale from «ineffective to «highly effective.»
REA is conducting formative
evaluations of
educator workshops and summative
evaluation of program impacts
at each of the participating institutions, using online surveys, interviews and observations.
Additionally, many states continue to use tests based on old standards despite instruction that is increasingly aligned with the Common Core standards; this is a concern where
evaluation systems determine
educator effectiveness based
at least in part on student test scores.
Accordingly, Nevada's «Democratic lawmakers are trying to eliminate — or
at least reduce — the role [students»] standardized tests play in
evaluations of teachers, saying
educators are being unfairly judged on factors outside of their control.»
ASCD is working
at multiple levels to make these principles a reality in new
evaluation systems for the nation's
educators.
Now we have a legitimate
evaluation system rolling out with
educators at the table to provide on - the - ground feedback, and we have a committed tenure reform bill....
Fariña joined the presidents of the teachers union
at Education Department headquarters to present the new rating system, which is still mostly based on classroom observations, tests created by
educators and
evaluations of students» work.
Now, with a new national education law — the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which Congress passed
at the end of 2015 — states and districts have an important opportunity to take a fresh look
at their teacher
evaluation and support systems, try new approaches, and ensure that their policies truly support
educators and students.
A need for state - level integration of teacher
evaluation into other improvement initiatives aimed
at building the professional capacity of
educators at all levels in a system.
The exchange over the dispute resolution process, a required element of district
educator evaluation and support plans, came
at this week's PEAC meeting.
At the moment, I'm focused on my year - end
evaluation report because contrary to what is written in your editorial, there ARE consequences to my current locally - determined
evaluation system.The Education Committee was acting in a responsible way when they listened to the concerns of the professionals — the
educators who work with students every day — and moved Substitute Bill 24 out of committee.
For ways
educators embrace accountability, see Amanda Datnow and Vicki Park's humanistic way of looking
at data; Marc Tucker's commentary on the need for continuous improvement; and Martin Brooks's (online) description of peer
evaluation for schools.
According to Jim Knight, director of the Kansas Coaching Project
at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning, the success of teacher
evaluation and observation is fully dependent upon the frequency and quality of support provided
educators through timely, relevant and actionable feedback.
At the Council's request, the legislature also appropriated $ 6 million for a pilot study of four different
educator evaluation tools in 13 Michigan school districts.
On June 2, 2015, the permanent legislation exempting
educator evaluations from FOIA is placed in the DC budget bill «
at the request of the Mayor.»
Meaningful Student Involvement in education
evaluation gives students and
educators the impetus to establish constructive, critical dialogues that place common purpose and interdependence
at the center of the discussion.
Jacques provides technical assistance to states and districts and develops resources for the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders and the College and Career Readiness and Success Center, supports the implementation of
educator evaluation and development systems in several states, and leads work on Career and Technical Education
at AIR through the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders.