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Teacher Evaluation Resources


Innovative Teacher Evaluation Practices

Connecticut's Guidelines for Educator Evaluation and Professional Development contain some "hidden" areas of flexibility that, if capitalized on, can reduce burdens on educators, foster greater levels of collaboration, and ultimately, improve teaching and learning.

The Every Child Succeeds Act, passed on December 15, 2015, will also give districts more flexibility when it comes to teacher evaluation. Some districts across the state are already thinking outside the box when it comes to teacher evaluation. Region 9, for example, uses peer coaches to foster collaboration and improved teaching practice. Region 9's peer coaches do not evaluate their colleagues, but do provide constructive feedback on the lessons they've observed, which promotes increased dialogue about what good teaching and learning looks like.

If your PDEC would like help in identifying areas of flexibility to get your district thinking outside the box, the CEA's Department of Policy, Research, and Government Relations is here to help. Please contact Kate Field, CEA's Teacher Development Specialist, at katef@cea.org for more information.



View Archived Material


Teacher Evaluation Made Simple

This annual guide was written to simplify the process and provide practical tips and strategies to help you achieve a high rating while reducing confusion, anxiety, and stress, allowing you to focus more of your energy on what matters the most—your students.

Teacher Evaluation: PDEC Rights & Responsibilities

Download a PDF copy of our presentation delivered at the 2017 Summer Leadership Conference.


CT Approved Teacher Evaluation Plans

State approved educator evaluation and support plans for the 2015-16 school year. The plans are sorted alphabetically.

Performance Evaluation Advisory Council (PEAC) Meeting- September 16, 2015

Training for evaluators is one area that CEA leaders on the Council have previously highlighted as needing attention, and PEAC heard from administrators in the Wolcott Public Schools about their efforts to improve evaluator training.


Requirements & Flexibility for PDEC Decision-Making

All too often, PDECs aren't clear on how the components of their evaluation plans must be included and where they have flexibility in how an evaluation practice will be conducted. This chart lists those areas that most commonly come into question, describe what the guidelines require, and explain what the PDEC can decide about how that component of evaluation will be practiced.

How Does Your PDEC Define 'Mutual Agreement?

While statute requires that teacher evaluation plans be developed by 'mutual agreement' of the PDEC and local board of education, more than 60% of PDECs haven't defined what that term means to them, and how they'll know when they reach mutual agreement. Read more about this simple, yet effective, way of looking at what 'mutual agreement' can mean, and some tips to reaching it in a way that is truly collaborative.


Teacher Evaluation Plan Review and Revision: What Should Your PDEC Do?

It's a good idea for your PDEC to continuously review your teacher evaluation plan and make revisions that can help move toward better practice. This presentation outlines a simple process your PDEC can use to review your plan in light of the teacher evaluation guidelines, and includes links to tools on the CEA teacher evaluation web page that can help you get the job done.

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Plan Review Documents:

CT Guidelines for Educator Evaluation
Teacher Evaluation Plan Analysis
Teacher Evaluation Plan Analysis - Sample
What's Working - What's Challenging (Worksheet)

Teacher Evaluation Plan Review and Revision: What Should Your PDEC Discuss?

As your PDEC reviews your teacher evaluation plan for revisions, questions about the evaluation components and processes can help shape your conversations, drive creative thinking, and lead to more effective and efficient practice.

Plan Review Questions:

· Developing Assistance Plans
· Dispute Resolution Process
· Goals and Indicators
· Implementation
· In-class Observations
· Reviews of Practice
· Structure of the Plan
· Student, Parent, & Peer Feedback
· Summative Ratings
· Training
· WSLI


Teacher Evaluation and Alternative Education Teachers

Teachers who work in alternative education programs face challenges that are often very different from those of teachers in a 'regular' classroom. This presentation will provide some suggestions for building flexibility into the evaluation process for alternative education teachers, so that the process is more meaningful and reflective of what they do with students.

Connecticut Guidelines for Educator Evaluation

These guidelines provide direction to school districts as they develop and adopt new systems of educator evaluation and support. They aim to ensure that districts have common and high expectations that educators are evaluated in a fair and consistent manner, and that employment decisions are based on fair, valid, reliable and useful indicators of a educator's work.


Teacher Evaluation Plan Required Components

This chart outlines what each section of the teacher evaluation guidelines requires in your teacher evaluation plan, including the changes approved by the State Board of Education on May 7. Sample language for each of these sections can be found below in other documents on this web page.

Teacher Evaluation Monthly Checklist

Monthly evidence checklist for educator evaluation.




PRESENTATIONS

  • A Holistic Approach to Teacher Evaluation

    When educators talk about using a holistic approach to teacher evaluation, what do they actually mean? What does such an approach look like in practice? This presentation explains how to use a holistic approach for showing student growth over time,for determining teacher performance, and how to merge evidence to determine an overall evaluation rating. Questions for guiding the decisions are included.


    PRESENTATION - WITH NOTES (PDF)

  • Dispute Resolution and Remediation Plans in the State Guidelines

    This will introduce you to the language from the state guidelines regarding dispute resolution and will differentiate between disputes and grievances.

    State teacher evaluation guidelines, flexibility options as approved last school year, the language regarding individual teacher remediation plans and definitions of effectiveness and ineffectiveness per the guidelines are also discussed.


    PRESENTATION - WITH NOTES (PDF)

  • From Statute to Practice: A PDEC's Responsibility

    Statute now requires that districts establish one Professional Development and Evaluation committee (PDEC). Until now in most districts, the PDEC has focused only on developing an educator evaluation plan for the district. But that's a small part of what statute requires the PDEC to do; it's time for each PDEC to expand their practice in districts.

    This presentation will provide you with concrete ideas for your PDEC to discuss so they can clearly establish some working strategies and understand the most important responsibilities they can and should take on.


    PRESENTATION - WITH NOTES (PDF)

  • Showing Student Growth Over Time : A Holistic Approach for Classroom Teachers

    Using only using a pre- and post-test with students doesn't show growth over time effectively. To get the true picture, multiple types and sources of data must be used. This detailed presentation will explain how to show student growth over time through a holistic approach that uses a combination of student work and standardized indicators. The presentation gives concrete examples of student goals and indicators for a variety of content areas.


    PRESENTATION - WITH NOTES (PDF)

  • Evaluating Support Specialists : Writing Student-Related Goals & Conducting Observations

    Evaluating support specialists has been a challenge for many districts, as they have gotten caught up in a narrow interpretation of the term 'student academic growth and development.' This presentation will explore the requirements for evaluating support specialists, where there is flexibility built into the teacher evaluation guidelines, and offer suggestions for how evaluation of specialists can be more meaningful and appropriate.


    PRESENTATION - WITH NOTES (PDF)

  • Promoting Better Practice in Teacher Evaluation Observations

    This presentation explains the changes a PDEC can adopt for using observations of teachers rated Proficient or Exemplary. It gives clear examples of how to use 1 formal observation, informal observations, and reviews of practice as parts of the process for showing growth over time. The focus is on using a holistic approach, and clear, specific questions are included that can be the basis for analyzing evidence and determining an evaluation rating.


    PRESENTATION - WITH NOTES (PDF)


SAMPLE LANGUAGE FOR TEACHER EVALUATION PLANS

Revisions to your teacher evaluation plan should be easy to understand. CEA offers the following sample language for your Professional Development and Evaluation Committee to consider. The concepts and practices contained in this language align with the teacher evaluation guidelines, including the changes that will be presented to the State Board of Education on Wednesday, May 7, and promote strong collaborative practices in evaluation.

SELECT A DOCUMENT (PDF)



ADDITIONAL INFO

  • Making 5% and 10% of Evaluation More Meaningful

    Rather than design evaluation processes that primarily promote compliance in using parent and student or peer feedback, there are options that can lead to more meaningful, active participation in these areas. The ideas contained in this document align with teacher evaluation guidelines and promote better practice.

  • One Formal Observation — A Growth-Promoting Approach

    One big question PDE committees have is how one formal, in-class observation can be used most effectively in teacher evaluation. This growth-promoting approach can move evaluation from a compliance model to a model that more closely links observations, reviews of practice, and student growth goals.

  • One Goal, Multiple Indicators, & Evidence — What's Best Practice?

    Writing one student goal can be more effective in showing student growth over time. This set of questions, answers, and graphics can help guide your PDE Committee discussion and decisions regarding this practice.

  • Informal Observations - What's Best Practice?

    As your PDE Committee reviews the teacher evaluation flexibility options, this set of questions and answers can help guide the discussion and decision.

  • Frequently Asked Questions about Teacher Evaluation Flexibility Options

    Check these FAQs to see if your questions are answered about the new flexibility options and the advantages of using them.

  • Flexibility Options in Teacher Evaluation (Chart)

    Get a quick view of the flexibility options approved by PEAC. This chart compares the current requirements with the new options.

  • What Should Your PDE Committee Do Now?

    Professional Development and Evaluation committees can mutually agree to adopt any of the flexibility options and begin using them this year. The committee must also review the current plan and agree on any changes for the plan for next year. Read about the steps recommended for your committee to take for both tasks.

  • Standardized Testing Flexibility Options

    Eliminating the use of the CMT/CAPT/SBAC assessments in teacher evaluation for this year requires thoughtful discussion about the best way to select indicators of student growth. These are some of the questions your Professional Development and Evaluation committee should discuss.

  • Flexibility in Formal Observations

    This flexibility option can lift a large burden in evaluation from both teachers and evaluators this year. But how will your Professional Development and Evaluation committee decide which teachers will be 'eligible' for this option and whether or not they should begin using this option this year? These questions can help guide that discussion.

  • Flexibility in Developing Student Goals and Objectives

    Having the flexibility to develop one student goal can help a teacher focus on the most pressing needs of the students. It also brings a series of questions about how to use multiple indicators well. Your committee should begin by discussing these questions.

  • Easing the Burden of Data Management Systems

    There are new requirements for using a data management system for teacher evaluation; one is that the Professional Development and Evaluation committee is charged with reporting to the local board of education about the efficiency of the district's data management system. These are sample questions the committee should discuss so they can provide the local board with the information needed to make an informed decision about a data management system.

  • Teacher Evaluation Guidelines - Flexibility Options Language

    Language in Sections 2.9 and 2.10 of the Teacher Evaluation Guidelines, providing flexibility for districts, as adopted by the State Board of Education on February 6, 2014.

  • Current Statutory Language on Teacher Evaluation and Professional Development

    This document contains pertinent statutory language that can guide your district Professional Development and Evaluation committee as they develop a comprehensive plan.

  • BloomBoard FAQs

    Many districts have chosen to use the BloomBoard data management system this year in connection with teacher evaluation. Read these Frequently Asked Questions, especially about privacy and security.



INFORMATION FROM THE SDE TO SUPERINTENDENTS

  • Circular letter February 5, 2015

    Information on the 2015-16 educator evaluation plan submission process, process for requesting a waiver from components of the guidelines, and an update on SDE rubric validation work.

  • Circular letter September 30, 2014

    Information for district Professional Development and Evaluation Committees about submitting changes to their 2014-15 plans during October.

  • Circular Letter May 19, 2014

    Information for districts on evaluation plan submission, process for requesting a waiver, 2014 SEED handbook, 2014 CCT Rubric for Effective Teaching, & evaluation of central office administrators.

  • Circular Letter April 28, 2014

    Update on the proposed changes regarding teacher rating terms, use of tests to show student growth, and the dispute resolution process.

  • Circular Letter April 10, 2014

    Updates on submission of district plans for 2014-15, evaluation of teachers non-renewed, BloomBoard support

  • Circular Letter February 10, 2014

    Update on Flexibilities to the Guidelines for Educator Evaluation

  • Circular Letter January 29, 2014

    CCT Review Committee, PDE Committees, BloomBoard

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES


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