Kentucky Teacher Evaluation System

The Danielson framework is a tool that is used to evaluate teachers’ performance in the classroom. The framework is based on educational researches that have identified several responsibilities that are essential for student to learn in the classroom. Therefore, these responsibilities are required and are things that teachers should be aware of and should be able to do as a teacher. The framework is also aligned with the Common Core Standards philosophy. As a result, the framework emphasizes critical thinking and active participation by students.

Based on the Georgia Department of Education, Georgia has a new way of evaluating all of its teachers. Beginners teachers are held with the same standards as tenured teachers. The evaluation is through Teacher Keys Effectiveness System (TKES) which is consist of three components which gives to an overall Teacher Effectiveness Measure (TEM). First component is Teacher Assessment on Performance Standards (TAPS). The second component is Surveys of Instructional Practice (student perception surveys). Lastly Student Growth Percentile and Student Learning Objective. (SGP and SLO).

First of all, continual feedback allows teachers to self-reflect on best practices. For example, a teacher can target his/her areas of weakness in order to grow professionally and gain further insight of best practices. Another benefit, of teacher evaluations is higher student success rates. These, for example, are measurable through district assessments and state standardized assessments. If a teachers success rate has significantly improved through modification of practices, T-TESS has served its intended purpose. Finally, yet another benefit of teacher evaluations is the fact that the educator is an active participant in his/her evaluation process. For example, through goal setting, the educator is allowed the opportunity to decide where he/she want to grow. Through the evaluation cycle and the communication therein, the appraiser and educator both take greater responsibility in understanding and meeting established goals. Finally, at the end of the process, student growth is an indicator of a well-developed and integrated evaluation system. These are but a few of the many benefits reaped from an evaluation systems such as T-TESS (TEA,

Assessing is a crucial component of education that informs teachers on individual development and understanding (Booker, Bond, Sparrow

As schools across the nation look for a uniform method to evaluate teachers’ performances, concerns about both methods are highlighted. NYC is using the Danielson Framework to evaluate teachers this year; some concerns have been brought up by administrators and the teachers union. In the piliot program it was noted by one administrator that “some of her teachers are not scoring as high on the rubric as she would expect — precisely because the rubric expects the same general characteristics in all grades” (Cromidas, 2012). This is because in the Danielson Framework the observer is looking for weather a teacher is doing the behavior or not. Check mark - there is no distinction between a new teacher and a veteran teacher. The other thing that administrators are noting that the “practicing observing teachers using Danielson had proved to be time-consuming” (Cromidas, 2012). It is recommend that they observer spends a number of informal observations lasting at least 15 minutes in the classroom before the official observation and that the report be turned around in 48 hours to the teacher.

After reading the report, one could characterize current teacher evaluation practices as little more than missed opportunities to increase the effectiveness of teachers and assure that the best teachers stayed in front of students. Practitioners generally agreed with the premise of the critique, and confirmed the identified evaluation weaknesses as both common and wide-spread among school districts. Using teacher effect research and the validity of value-added measures as a platform, and armed with the belief that the sample practices were representative of those in districts across the country, the authors of The Widget Effect urged educational leaders and policy makers to implement specific teacher evaluation reforms, many of which informed (or mirrored) those becoming increasingly prevalent in federal and state

The Framework for Teaching by Charlotte Danielson has been developed through research as a guideline for current and future teacher’s professional responsibilities in and out of the classroom. Districts throughout the country are using this framework to assess and guide their teachers to build successful methods of planning and preparations, setting up the classroom environment, instruction and professional responsibilities. Each of these domains builds off of each other to form a successful learning environment. Domain 3 focuses more specifically on instruction using communication, discussions, engagement, assessments and flexibility.

In order to be strong in administering, scoring, and interpreting assessment, an educator must not only be able to

One Sturgeon Bay High School teacher by the name of Nicole Herbst, works as an educator in the art department, and was open to give her opinion on student-teacher evaluation as well as her concerns. Mrs. Herbst, like many others, brought up the worry of students not taking the assessment seriously. However, she acknowledged and supported the idea, that if the examination was done in the right way, it would be valuable. When asked, should high school students be able to evaluate their teachers? Mrs. Herbst answered with, “Yes, they should be allowed to, but as long as it is set up with different questions, criteria, and the teachers are given the rubric first, that's what we did with college professors. That way, it is fair for the students to think about different areas to score them on, as well as to show what strengths and weaknesses there could be in order for the teacher to get feedback on what could be working or what is confusing with their teaching style. Also, if the teachers know what they are getting graded on, like we should offer for the students, it helps to know what the teachers should professionally focus on more. It helps if the grading is in a survey style and rating system with areas to offer specific comments versus just one flat grade in order to truly be effective.” Her

evaluation policies and the goals and outcomes that are the basis for evaluation of teaching are

For the purpose of this research activity, I wanted to focuses on Missouri and California. I have worked at both states, and have found both states to have their own systems for evaluation teachers, but at the same time they are very similar. Both states, like many other states, agree that our previous evaluation systems have not helped teacher grow to their potential. Both evaluation systems as set in place to help teachers grow, improve their practice, allow them to grow professionally, and overall enhance student learning. The purpose of having an evaluation system is to ensure we see higher student learning. Both states aim to use their evaluation process with helping teachers become professional educators who can have the tools necessary to work on student academic growth.

Podursky et. al. (2007) discussed the comparison of teacher performance on evaluations conducted by the principal to student achievement. It was concluded, “Research literature to date and particularly the recent work by Jacobs and Lefgren show that subjective evaluations of teacher performance are valid measures of teacher effectiveness as measured by student achievement gains.” (p. 562). Principal evaluations reflecting low stakes were used to acquire these results. The question still remains if these types of evaluations will continue to be of value in a merit based system. Also would a principal who would normally give a teacher a lower performance score, under regular circumstances-non-high stakes evaluations, do the same if it were

After watching the video of Linda Darling-Hammond’s presentation, it was evident that she possesses a broad knowledge of the necessary components that are essential for quality teacher evaluation to take place. She reiterates that effective teachers implement diversified instruction, engage and build on students’ prior knowledge, and provide clear standards with constant feedback for their students. Key points from the video that stood out included the 5 approaches that make things worse when evaluating teachers. These include 1) focusing evaluation entirely after entry, 2) focusing on ranking teachers rather than improving teachers, 3) making decisions substantially based on value added state test scores, 4) putting all the weight on the school

Kohn (2000) feared that any standardized testing program would narrow the scope of teacher evaluation. Sanders and others who helped develop the TVAAS system in Tennessee tried to address these criticisms. Sanders and Horn (1995) pointed out that past efforts in the use of test data were not feasible because of the cost and lack of computing power meaning that there was no way to differentiate educational influences from external factors. The advent of powerful computers and sophisticated software changed this equation. The research demonstrated that observations comprise the bulk of the evaluation process, whether the principal or others conduct them. New research (Sanders and Rivers 1996) shows that data-driven evaluations are gaining acceptance

There are five key components essential to the successful implementation of SBG, which also serve as the core principles of a teacher’s practice (Guskey, 2010). First, standards are not foreign to the educational system. However, over the span of several decades little has been done to respond to the need for changes to ambiguous practices. As late as the 1940s, Tyler (1949) stressed the importance of identifying what students need to know, be able to do, and the type of evidence needed to prove they have mastered the specific learning target. Furthermore, Tyler (1949) emphasized that the only way to measure teachers’ efficiency is by gauging what students know and whether they can demonstrate this knowledge.