Teacher Evaluation:
The law specifies a four-tiered system with eight evaluative criteria. The four tiers are specified in law:
• Level 1 – Unsatisfactory
• Level 2 – Basic
• Level 3 – Proficient
• Level 4 — Distinguished
A classroom teacher will receive one of the four summative evaluation performance ratings for each of the eight criteria, as well as a “comprehensive summative rating” for the evaluation as a whole. Districts must also adopt an instructional framework. By December 1, 2012, OSPI is charged with developing a common method of calculating the comprehensive summative rating that all school districts must use.
Student Growth:
The law does not require a specific assessment. It defines student growth as “the change in student achievement between two points in time,” states that any such data must be appropriate and relevant to the teacher and subject, and must be based on multiple measures. The law allows for measuring student growth based on a teacher’s performance as a member of an instructional or school-wide team when that use of student growth data is relevant and appropriate. The law does not require the use of State tests, such as the MSP and HSPE. The association and the district will need to bargain this issue of multiple measures.
Example:
The Edmonds School District (20,000 students — just North of Seattle, WA) is using the Danielson materials as the instructional frameworks and rubrics for our new teacher evaluation system. Administrators and teachers are being trained on the new system using the Teachscape website (http://www.teachscape.com/ ) throughout this year, and the new evaluation system will be implemented with one third of all teachers next year. The implementation has been a collaborative process with the district and our local Education Association in compliance with state directives. Teachers will be evaluated in four domains (which incorporate the eight state required criteria) –
1. Planning and Preparation.
2. The Classroom Environment.
3. Instruction.
4. Professional Responsibilities.
It is still being worked out how student data will be used in the evaluation process. But, there is not a move to tie evaluations to state standardized tests. The district is looking at ways to include the formative and summative data intrinsic to each course as a way to meet the student data requirement. So, although all of the details haven’t been worked out, music teachers will be evaluated on what students are learning in their classes.
