Many states are in the process of adopting rigorous, standards-based teacher evaluation systems in order to address and increase teacher accountability for student achievement. In the newly adopted Educator Effectiveness evaluation system, Pennsylvania classroom teachers were evaluated through one of two evaluation protocols, both aligned to Danielson's Framework for Teaching. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of the new Pennsylvania evaluation model on the use of classroom instructional practices by teacher participants. The study sample included 111 classroom teachers in grades K-12 in one school district: 35 teachers were assigned to the Formal Observation Model and 76 teachers to the Differentiated Supervision Model (which used portfolios to evaluate teacher performance). A two-group, pretest-posttest, quasi-experiment was used to compare the ratings of classroom instructional practices of all teachers. Using a paired-samples t-test, the average increase in the ratings of classroom instructional practices of Formal Observation participants was not significant, whereas the average increase in the ratings of Differentiated Supervision participants was significant. This study provides evidence that teachers' use of a carefully structured portfolio as a reflection tool may result in improved classroom instructional practices; however, the final Educator Effectiveness ratings of teachers in the Portfolio Mode lacked the discrimination necessary to meet the summative goals for teacher evaluation. These results are important considerations for PA district leaders who must choose among various options for the Differentiated Supervision evaluation of teachers.

WHAT IS EFFECTIVE TEACHING? It’s not enough to say “I know it when I see it” – not when we’re expecting so much more from students and teachers than in the past. To help teachers achieve greater success with their students we need new and better ways to identify and develop effective teaching. The Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) project represents a groundbreaking effort to find out what works in the classroom. With funding by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the MET project brought together leading academics, education groups, and 3,000 teachers to study teaching and learning from every angle. Its reports on student surveys, observations, and other measures have shaped policy and practice at multiple levels. This book shares the latest lessons from the MET project. With 15 original studies, some of the field’s most preeminent experts tap the MET project’s unprecedented collection of data to offer new insights on evaluation methods and the current state of teaching in our schools. As feedback and evaluation methods evolve rapidly across the country, Designing Teacher Evaluation Systems is a must read and timely resource for those working on this critical task. PRAISE FOR DESIGNING TEACHER EVALUATION SYSTEMS “This book brings together an all-star team to provide true data-driven, policy-relevant guidance for improving teaching and learning. From student achievement to student perceptions, from teacher knowledge to teacher practices, the authors address key issues surrounding the elements of a comprehensive teacher evaluation and improvement system. Highly recommended for anyone seriously interested in reform.” —PETE GOLDSCHMIDT, Assistant Secretary, New Mexico Public Education Department “This book is an invaluable resource for district and state leaders who are looking to develop growth and performance systems that capture the complexity of teaching and provide educators with the feedback needed to develop in their profession.” —TOM BOASBERG, Superintendent, Denver Public Schools “A rare example of practical questions driving top quality research and a must read for anyone interested in improving the quality of teaching.” —ROBERT C. GRANGER, Former President (Ret.), The William T. Grant Foundation “This will be the ‘go to’ source in years to come for those involved in rethinking how teachers will be evaluated and how evaluation can and should be used to increase teacher effectiveness. The superb panel of contributors to this book presents work that is incisive, informative, and accessible, providing a real service to the national efforts around teacher evaluation reform.” —JOHN H. TYLER, Professor of Education, Brown University

Meaningful teacher evaluation starts with visible student growth Annual standardized test scores cannot provide evidence of student growth needed to evaluate teacher performance. But consider student growth in the form of evidence derived from classroom assessment and you’re on to something. For assessment expert Rick Stiggins, this can form the basis for a truly productive teacher evaluation strategy. This revolutionary book helps you bring classroom assessment to bear for real school improvement, with A plan for teacher evaluation based, in part, on dependable evidence of student growth Strategies for improving the assessment literacy of teachers and school leaders Five steps for developing and implementing productive local district assessment systems Practical tools that teachers and their evaluators can put to use immediately In this era of aggressive teacher evaluation reform, where teachers are charged with preparing ALL students to master 21st century proficiencies, the measurement of teacher success must start where learning happens—in the classroom. "Developing a fair, practical, and effective teacher evaluation system is like climbing a high mountain: it’s impossible until someone finds a route. That’s what Rick does in this book. He identifies the immense challenges associated with using evidence on student learning as the principal criteria in teacher evaluation and then offers practical guidance for overcoming those challenges. He hasn’t made the climb easy, but he shows us the way." —Thomas R. Guskey, Professor of Educational Psychology University of Kentucky "Rick Stiggins builds a compelling case for the development of a solid foundation of assessment competence throughout our educational system." —Linda Darling-Hammond, Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education Stanford University

This is the first book to pull together what we have learned about the impacts and challenges of data-intensive teacher evaluation systemsa defining characteristic of the current education policy landscape. Expert researchers and practitioners speak to what we know (and what remains to be known) about evaluation measures themselves, the implementation of evaluation systems, and the use of evaluation data. The authors argue that rigorous teacher evaluation systems have the potential to promote school improvement but only if the systems are carefully designed and implemented and the data they generate are interpreted and used appropriately. This timely and important volume will be relevant and useful to school and district administrators, policymakers, researchers, and teacher education institutions grappling with issues of teacher accountability and school leadership.

In Teacher Evaluation That Makes a Difference, Robert J. Marzano and Michael D. Toth introduce a new model of teacher evaluation that takes into account multiple data-rich measures of teacher performance and student growth to ensure fair, meaningful, and reliable evaluations for all teachers.

Teacher Evaluation: Guide to Professional Practice is organized around four dominant, interrelated core issues: professional standards, a guide to applying the Joint Committee's Standards, ten alternative models for the evaluation of teacher performance, and an analysis of these selected models. The book draws heavily on research and development conducted by the Federally funded national Center for Research on Educational Accountability and Teacher Evaluation (CREATE). The reader will come to grasp the essence of sound teacher evaluation and will be able to apply its principles, facts, ideas, processes, and procedures. Finally, the book invites and assists school professionals and other readers to examine the latest developments in teacher evaluation.

In response to Race to the Top, schools nationwide are rapidly overhauling their teacher evaluation processes. Often forced to develop and implement these programs without adequate extra-institutional support or relevant experience, already-taxed administrators need accessible and practical resources. Improving Teaching through Observation and Feedback brings cutting-edge research and years of practical experience directly to those who need them. In five concise chapters, Thomas Good and Alyson Lavigne briefly outline the history of RttT and then move quickly and authoritatively to a discussion of best practices. This book is a perfect resource for administrators reworking their processes for new evaluation guidelines.