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THRIVE FOR TEACHERS TEACHER EVALUATION GUIDE

Detroit Public Schools Community District

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Thrive for Teachers Teacher Evaluation Guide

CONTENTS

Nondiscrimination Clause ....................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 4

Evaluation System Overview ............................................................................................................. 5

Components Overview .................................................................................................................. 5

Evaluation Scale ........................................................................................................................... 5

Evaluation Process........................................................................................................................ 6

Evaluation Timeline ....................................................................................................................... 7

Component Descriptions .................................................................................................................. 8

Classroom Observation Component .............................................................................................. 8

Commitment to School Community Component ............................................................................. 9

Student Surveys Component ......................................................................................................... 9

Student Growth Component ........................................................................................................ 10

Evaluation Process ......................................................................................................................... 11

Evaluation System Scoring .............................................................................................................. 12

Observation Component Scoring ................................................................................................. 12

Commitment to School Community Component Scoring .............................................................. 13

Student Surveys Component Scoring .......................................................................................... 14

Student Growth Component Scoring ........................................................................................... 15

Overall evaluation scoring and Performance Ratings .................................................................... 16

Training and Support ...................................................................................................................... 17

Accessing District evaluation policies and resources .................................................................... 17

Content Area Resources ............................................................................................................. 17

Accessing Evaluation Forms ........................................................................................................ 17

Training ...................................................................................................................................... 18

Local Examples of Effective Practice ............................................................................................ 18

Appendix A: Glossary ..................................................................................................................... 19

Appendix B: Teacher Observation Rubric ........................................................................................ 20

Appendix C: Commitment to School Community Rubric ................................................................... 25

Appendix D: State and District Assessment Tools ............................................................................ 26

Appendix E: Sample Summative Score Worksheet........................................................................... 29

Appendix F: Blank Summative Score Worksheet .............................................................................. 30

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NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION

DPSCD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, transgender identity, disability, age, religion, height, weight, citizenship, marital or family status, military status, ancestry, genetic information, or any other legally protected category, in its educational programs and activities, including employment and admissions opportunities.

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INTRODUCTION

Detroit Public Schools Community District is commitment to increasing the quality of instruction for all students while supporting individual educator growth and development. The District’s new teacher evaluation system, Thrive for Teachers, is designed to provide a comprehensive assessment of a teacher’s performance and to create continuous dialogue about their development by connecting instructional practices to the District’s strategic plan priorities and Vision of Excellent Instruction. This system and each of its components was designed, vetted, and refined by educators across the District over the course of two years.

The purpose of the guidebook is to support teachers and evaluators in understanding and implementing the evaluation system. This new system includes several updated tools and processes to support teacher development, including:

• A Detroit-specific teacher observation rubric that aligns to the District’s Vision of Excellent Instruction, as well as the Outstanding Achievement priority in the Blueprint 2020 strategic plan;

• A new Commitment to School Community component, which integrates attendance and discipline, will comprise 10% of a teacher’s overall evaluation score;

• A Student Survey component, which will comprise 10% of a teacher’s overall evaluation score; and

• An increase of the Student Growth component to 40% of a teacher’s overall evaluation score, in accordance with state statutory requirements.

This evaluation system is part of the District’s comprehensive strategy to provide all teachers with tools and support to help them develop and succeed in their practice so that all students have access to excellent instruction. Throughout each annual evaluation process, teachers can expect to engage in regular conversations with evaluators about their growth and receive individualized professional development and support. Teachers should also use the evaluation system and its tools to reflect on their own practices and seek out additional support where needed.

For more information or support with additional questions about this guidebook, please visit the Evaluations site or contact the evaluation team directly at [email protected].

mailto:Evaluations%20site

mailto:[email protected]

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EVALUATION SYSTEM OVERVIEW

The District’s teacher evaluation system outlines expectations that serve as a guide for teacher growth and development; it provides a common language by which all teachers can assess their teaching and identify specific focus areas for improvement.

COMPONENTS OVERVIEW Evaluation components include:

• Classroom Observations (40 points possible1) to support teachers by cultivating content-specific instructional practices that will ensure all students achieve at high levels.

• Commitment to School Community (10 points possible) which articulates and measures the conduct expectations for teachers as members of a school community.

• Student Surveys (10 points possible) to ensure that student voice and perspective are included in feedback for teachers on instructional delivery, classroom culture, and differentiation.

• Student Growth (40 points possible) which holds teachers accountable for student learning as measured by a variety of assessments.

EVALUATION SCALE Scores for the four components of Thrive for Teachers—Classroom Observations, Commitment to School Community, Student Surveys, and Student Growth—complement each other to create a comprehensive picture of effective instruction that truly advances student learning. Teachers earn an overall summative rating based on the number of points they earn out of 100 possible points. The summative rating is converted to a four-point scale for the purpose of state reporting. Scores of eighty points or above will receive a Highly Effective rating; 50 – 79 points will receive an Effective rating, 35 – 49 points will receive a Minimally Effective rating, and less than 35 points will receive an Ineffective rating.

IFor teachers without attributable student survey data, the ten possible points allotted for the Student Survey component will be redistributed to the Observations component, for a total of 50 possible points.

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EVALUATION PROCESSThe evaluation process is intentionally designed to provide multiple opportunities for alignment between teachers and evaluators on performance and progress towards goals. The year is segmented into four cycles, including at least three opportunities for observation and an end of year debrief.

• Cycle 0 takes place within the first quarter and includes an observation that does not count towards the final evaluation rating, but instead serves as a formative assessment of instruction, and is followed by a goal-setting meeting that will include alignment on local assessments for measurement of student growth.

• Cycle 1 occurs in the second quarter and includes an observation of instruction, followed by a debrief conversation to discuss progress towards the goals identified in Cycle 0, as well as an initial rating of Commitment to School Community.

• Cycle 2 takes place in the third quarter, and repeats the structures of Cycle 1, including an observation of instruction, debrief meeting and second rating of Commitment to School Community.

• Cycle 2+ is an optional observation cycle that is administered at the discretion of the principal. It includes an observation of instruction and debrief conversation to align on progress towards goals. It can take place no sooner than three weeks after the Cycle 2 observation and debrief.

• The End of Year Debrief includes a final discussion of performance over the course of the year, including evaluation scores for Classroom Observations, Commitment to School Community, and Student Surveys, as well as local assessment results for Student Growth (when applicable).

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EVALUATION TIMELINEThe evaluation process is designed to be an ongoing collaboration between teachers and evaluators. There are several scheduled activities throughout the year to promote conversation about current practice, outlined in the table below and detailed in the Evaluation Process section in this guide. The goal of this process is that no evaluation score is unexpected and that all teachers have a clear understanding of strengths, areas for development and next steps.

The calendar below outlines the month(s) in which each evaluation activity within Thrive for Teachers will occur. Where there is a specific date or deadline, one is listed.

Activity Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul

Cycle 0 Observation + Debrief Nov 12

Cycle 1 Observation + Debrief Jan 25

Cycle 2 Observation + Debrief Apr 12

Midyear Progress Reports2

Student Surveys Administered

Cycle 2+ Observation + Debrief Apr 30

End-Of-Year Debrief Jun 10

Summative Ratings Finalized3 Jun 10

Appeals Process Completed

2 Only applicable for teachers in the first year of the probationary period or teachers who received a rating of minimally effective or ineffective in his or her most recent annual year-end evaluation.

3 Final ratings submitted to teachers and Central Office

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COMPONENT DESCRIPTIONS

CLASSROOM OBSERVATION COMPONENTWith the guidance and input of hundreds of educators, the District has developed a teacher observation rubric that aligns to the Vision of Excellent Instruction. A primary goal of conducting observations is to support teachers to bring the District’s Outstanding Achievement priority to life for all students. By cultivating student-centered, content-specific instructional practices, we will ensure all students achieve at high levels.

The new observation rubric requires evaluators to look for evidence of student actions that reflect their learning. The rubric focuses on student actions in order to capture the effectiveness of the instruction to provide students with access to rigorous instruction and content, rather than focusing solely on the execution of instructional practices. While the observation rubric does not capture everything a teacher does, it does articulate the most critical student and teacher actions that occur during effective, standards-aligned lessons.

Further, through the support of content experts across the district, the observation rubric is accompanied by content-specific companion guides for ELA, math, science, social studies, world language, arts, PE/Health and CTE. These companion guides illuminate distinct examples of evidence found in effective classrooms across the content areas. They also provide indicator-aligned coaching points to support teachers and evaluators in setting actionable goals for instructional practice. The new observation tools are not intended solely for formal evaluation, but rather to inform ongoing conversations between teachers and evaluators about professional growth.

TEACHER OBSERVATION RUBRIC STRUCTURE

The structure of the observation rubric includes the following:

Domains are explicitly aligned to the four domains of the District’s Vision of Excellent Instruction. Each domain includes an essential question. In a classroom with effective instruction, the answer to each essential question is “yes.” Together, these domains illustrate what the Vision of Excellent Instruction looks like when DPSCD students are deeply engaged in instruction that will prepare them to be college and career ready.

• Management, Culture, and Climate: Do the expectations, systems, and routines in the classroom promote student learning and personal growth?

• Rigorous Content: Is the content aligned to grade-level standards and/or IEP goals?

• Academic Ownership: Are all students responsible for doing the thinking in this classroom?

• Demonstration of Learning: Do all students demonstrate that they are learning?

Indicators provide a distinct list of competencies embedded within each of the domains, which together are essential for achieving overall effectiveness.

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Descriptors differentiate indicators across the four levels of performance: Highly Effective, Effective, Minimally Effective, and Ineffective. In order to receive a Highly Effective score in a domain, all indicators in that domain must be scored as Effective along with additional demonstrated criteria for Highly Effective.

For more information about the observation rubric, please see Appendix B.

COMMITMENT TO SCHOOL COMMUNITY COMPONENT The purpose of the Commitment to School Community (Commitment to School Community) component is to articulate and measure the conduct expectations for teachers as members of a school community. The District believes teachers are responsible for the achievement of all students in their building by fostering a strong, safe, and collaborative community. Deductions may be made within this component for professionalism, including frequent absences and multiple disciplinary issues.

PROFESSIONALISM DEDUCTIONS

Attendance concerns and disciplinary actions may have a negative impact on the points earned in the Commitment to School Community component. At the end of each school year, staff members in the Human Resources Department review teachers’ attendance reports for the school year. Teachers may receive a deduction in their evaluation points based on their number of absences, excluding absences due to religious holidays, jury duty, military duty, bereavement leave, administrative leave, approved Workers’ Compensation, and approved Family Medical Leaves of Absence (FMLA).

Points may also be deducted for disciplinary actions. The Employee Relations Department reviews reports on teachers' disciplinary actions for the last three school years. Teachers are assigned discipline action points based on their disciplinary records. These discipline action points are then converted into deductions in this component.

STUDENT SURVEYS COMPONENTStudent voice matters. Including students’ perspectives in Thrive for Teachers supports the District’s vision for a holistic evaluation system that provides a 360-degree view of teacher practice. Extensive

COMMITMENT TO SCHOOL COMMUNITY RUBRIC STRUCTURE The structure of the Commitment to School Community Rubric includes the following:

Indicators measure several aspects of engagement in the school community, including:

• Support of the school’s initiatives;

• Efforts towards professional growth and collaboration with colleagues;

• Efforts to promote high academic and behavioral expectations;

• Partnership with students’ families.

Descriptors differentiate indicators across three levels of performance: Effective, Minimally Effective, and Ineffective. In order to receive a Highly Effective rating, all indicators must be scored as Effective, along with additional demonstrated criteria for Highly Effective.

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research indicates that students are best equipped to provide input on their learning experience, and student surveys are often predictive of student growth.4

Student surveys also harness the power of collective data trends across many students, rather than one or two observers. When used in combination with other measures, student surveys help create a comprehensive picture of a teacher’s performance and improve the reliability of observation ratings.

Student survey data will be included for teachers who meet the requirements for data to be attributed to their classroom. For teachers who do not have attributable survey results, the points for this component will instead be redistributed into the Classroom Observation component.

Student surveys focus on the following topics:

• Pedagogical Effectiveness – Perceptions of the quality of teaching and amount of learning students experience from a particular teacher.

• Classroom Rigorous Expectations - How students perceive about the level of high expectations a teacher holds them to around effort, understanding, persistence, and performance in class.

• Classroom Teacher-Student Relationships - How strong the social connection is between a teacher and students in and outside the classroom.

• Classroom Engagement - How students perceive their own attention and investment in the teacher’s class.

STUDENT GROWTH COMPONENT It is crucial that teachers and leaders hold each other accountable for making significant academic progress with the District’s students each year. Student Growth is a primary measure that demonstrates the impact of effective teaching. Because the assessments of student performance vary in format, Student Growth measures will vary for each teacher. Each teacher’s Student Growth component will be based on two of the following three measures, depending on availability: state assessments, district assessments, and local assessments.

Calculations for state and district data will be conducted by District assessment staff. Before Student Growth scores are calculated, teachers will have the opportunity to review their roster of students who meet specific criteria. Students are attributed to teachers if they are enrolled for a full year (semester for high school classes) and have valid pre and post test results. Growth will then be calculated for those students and the results added to teachers’ overall evaluations. Scores for local assessments will be entered by the teacher’s evaluator as part of their end-of-year summative meeting.

4 Kane, T.J., & Staiger, D.O. (2010). “Learning about teaching.” Research report for the Measures of Effective Teaching project, December

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EVALUATION PROCESS

OVERVIEW OF ANNUAL OBSERVATIONS AND MEETINGS

Cycle Key Features Outcomes

CYCLE 0 Diagnosis and Goal Setting October 1 – November 12

Unscheduled

15-20 minute observation

Ratings and evidence recorded

Not included in summative score

Must include debrief within ten school days

Teacher receives formative feedback based on observation

Teacher and evaluator align on development priorities for the year, including where to focus observations (if teaching multiple grades/content areas)

Teacher and evaluator align on Student Growth Measures for summative evaluation and enter local assessment plans into evaluation platform, if relevant

Teacher and evaluator align on ways for evaluator to understand the pacing of work being done with the class(es) at any given time

CYCLE 1 First Observation and Debrief November 13 – January 25

Unscheduled

Full period or 50 minute observation


Included in summative score



Teacher understands their progress against their development priorities

Teacher understands their current ratings on the observation rubric

Teacher understands their current ratings on the Commitment to the School Community rubric, and receives formative feedback

CYCLE 2 Second Observation and Debrief January 28 – April 10

Scheduled








Teacher understands their current ratings on the Commitment to the School Community rubric, and receives formative feedback

CYCLE 2+ Optional third observation and Debrief 3 weeks or more after Cycle 2 observations

Can be requested by teacher after Cycle 2 observation; administered at the discretion of the principal

Unscheduled








EOY DEBRIEF Summative rating discussion May 1st – June 10th

In person discussion

Evaluator and teacher meet to align on final scores for each component (excluding state and district Student Growth scores, if not yet available).

If available, teacher shares local assessment data and completes data form

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EVALUATION SYSTEM SCORING

While each component of Thrive for Teachers is scored independently, the components work in tandem to provide a holistic view of teacher performance over the course of the school year. The section below provides details on the scoring systems for each component and the process for determining the summative rating.

OBSERVATION COMPONENT SCORING Teachers can earn up to 40 out of a total possible 100 points in the Classroom Observation component. Although teachers will be observed and receive feedback at least three times per school year, only the cycles 1, 2 and 2+ observations will count towards summative score. At the end of the year, teachers will receive a score for each Domain, based on the average of the Cycle 1, 2, and 2+ (if applicable) observation scores. These Domain scores will be totaled as an overall observation score. Highly Effective ratings will be excluded from the calculations of averages and will be added as raw bonuses to the overall observation score. A rating of Highly Effective on Domains 1, 2 and 3 will trigger the addition of two points to the total observation score. Achievement of Highly Effective practice for Domain 4 will trigger the addition of four points to the observation score.

Scoring Summary of Points Possible by Domain

Domain # of Indicators # of Points Possible

1: Management, Culture, & Climate 4 Effective: 8 points (2 points each) Highly Effective: 10 points

2: Rigorous Content 4 Effective: 8 points (2 points each) Highly Effective: 10 points

3: Academic Ownership 4 Effective: 8 points (2 points each) Highly Effective: 10 points

4: Demonstration of Learning 3 Effective: 6 points (2 points each) Highly Effective: 10 points

Number of points earned by indicator

Ineffective Indicator Rating Minimally Effective Indicator Rating Effective Indicator Rating 0 points 1 point 2 points

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COMMITMENT TO SCHOOL COMMUNITY COMPONENT SCORING During Cycle 1 and Cycle 2 debrief meetings, teachers will receive ratings on each indicator of the Commitment to School Community rubric. At the end of the school year, the points earned will be averaged for each indicator and then summed, for a maximum of ten points possible. If Effective ratings are achieved for each indicator and a Highly Effective indicator is met, an additional two points will be added to the overall component rating. Once this total is calculated, points may be deducted for attendance and disciplinary actions, as outlined below. If the deductions are greater than the points earned, a total score of zero will be allotted for this component. For details on the Commitment to School Community rubric, please see Appendix C.

Each indicator in the Commitment to School Community will be worth 0, 1, or 2 points.

Number of Points Possible by Indicator

Indicator # of Points Possible 1: Support of the school’s initiatives 2 points

2: Efforts towards professional growth and collaboration with colleagues 2 points

3: Efforts to promote high academic and behavioral expectations 2 points

4: Partnership with students’ families 2 points

Highly Effective Indicator 2 points

Maximum Points Possible 10 points

PROFESSIONALISM POINT VALUES

Disciplinary Action Points

Written Reprimand

1-2 Day Suspension

3 Day Suspension

4-6 Day Suspension

4-6 Day Suspension

1 disciplinary action point

2 disciplinary action points




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Possible Professionalism Point Deductions

Total Disciplinary Action Points

Commitment to School

Community Deduction

0-1 0 2-3 1 4-5 2 6-7 3 8-10 or more 4

Summary of Point Deductions for Days Absent

Number of Days Absent

Commitment to School

Community Deduction

12 or fewer days absent 0 More than 12, but 15 or fewer, days absent

1

More than 15, but 18 or fewer, days absent

2

More than 18, but 20 or fewer, days absent

3

20 or more days absent 4

STUDENT SURVEYS COMPONENT SCORING Teachers can earn up to 10 points on the Student Survey component, with the four survey topics counting for up to 2.5 points each. Topic points are awarded based on the percentage of favorable student responses to survey questions in that topic. The percentile rankings for each topic are assigned a point value based on the quintile, and the points awarded for each topic will be combined, for a maximum of ten points possible.

Overall Component Scoring by Topic

Topic # of Points Possible 1: Pedagogical Effectiveness 2.5 points 2: Classroom Rigorous Expectations 2.5 points 3: Classroom Student-Teacher Relationships 2.5 points 4: Classroom Engagement 2.5 points Maximum Points Possible 10 points

Points Awarded to Topics by Percentile

0 – 19th percentile

20th – 39th percentile




.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

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STUDENT GROWTH COMPONENT SCORING Teachers can earn up to 40 points on the Student Growth component. When available, 20 of these points will be calculated based on results from state assessments. If district assessments are available, they will also count for 20 points. Results from multiple years are averaged with the most recent year receiving more weight. Remaining points will be calculated using local assessments. If local assessments are the only source of Student Growth data for the current year, two different tests must be used. In order to measure growth in local assessments, teachers must administer pre- and post-tests.

Teachers may have the following assessments used for Student Growth:

• State assessment + district assessment

• State assessment + local assessment

• District assessment + local assessment

• Local assessment + (different) local assessment

For all measures of Student Growth, teachers will receive points based on the percentage of students in their class who meet expected/typical growth. Growth is defined differently for each assessment based on the content and structure of the test. An important part of the Cycle 0 debrief between teachers and their evaluator will be to align on which assessments will be used for evaluation purposes, as well as which local assessments are most appropriate for measuring learning for the grade level and content area. In order to measure growth in local assessments, teachers must administer pre- and post-tests. For details on assessments used to calculate Student Growth, see Appendix D.

Component Points Awarded by Growth Percent

No students met expected growth

1 – 24 percent of students met expected growth



At least 75 percent of students met expected growth

0 Points 5 Points 10 Points 15 Points 20 Points

Starting in the 2019-2020 school year, 40% of a teacher’s total evaluation score must be based on Student Growth and assessment data.

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OVERALL EVALUATION SCORING AND PERFORMANCE RATINGS At the end of the school year, a final evaluation score will be calculated for each staff member, based on the scores earned for each component. The overall evaluation score is then translated to a summative rating for state reporting purposes.

Component Points Possible for Teachers with Student Survey Data

Points Possible for Teachers without Student Survey Data

Classroom Observation 40 50 Commitment to School Community

10 10

Student Surveys 10 N/A Student Growth 40 40

The summative rating will be determined by translating the summative score to one of four effectiveness levels based on the cut scores below:

Ineffective Minimally Effective Effective Highly Effective

Less than 35 points At least 35 points but less than 50 points

At least 50 points but less than 80 points

At least 80 points

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TRAINING AND SUPPORT

CONTENT AREA RESOURCES With the input of teachers and content experts, the District has developed content-specific companion guides. These guides are designed to be a resource for evaluators and teachers. They serve as a reference for effective teaching in specific classroom contexts and a resource for self-study or conversations with a coach. However, they are not meant to be exhaustive, nor are they meant to be used as a “checklist.” The guides include:

• Samples of Evidence – which provide a model of the kinds of evidence observers might cite to provide a clear rationale for the rating

• Coaching Points – which inform recommendations for any support and concrete actions following the observation; accelerate professional growth

Custom companion guides are available for the following content areas: ELA/Literacy, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, World Languages, Arts, PE/Health and CTE. The guides are available on the Evaluations Site.

ACCESSING DISTRICT EVALUATION POLICIES AND RESOURCES The Evaluations Site is the District’s one-stop shop for all news, tools, and materials for employee evaluation. The Evaluations Team uses this site to ensure that staff have round-the-clock access to the information they need for their annual performance evaluations, and to publicize ways staff can get involved as we hone and improve our systems going forward. Be sure to follow the site in order to receive all the updates!

For further assistance and support, email [email protected].

ACCESSING EVALUATION FORMS The District uses Frontline Education, an online evaluation and professional learning platform, to manage the evaluation process. Each of the forms described in this manual are loaded into Frontline to support the smooth implementation of the evaluation process. Frontline offers a wide range of online supports to teachers and evaluators on using the online system, from step-by-step guides to uploading documents and managing forms, to live webinars on how to make the most of the system.

To access your Frontline account, log into the DPSCD Hub (hub.detroitk12.org), and click the Frontline Education icon. Select “Sign into this site” and click “Sign In.” Enter your district email username and password. Select “Sign in to one of the following sites,” select “MyLearningPlan PDMS,” and click “Sign In.” Click the “Help” link at the top of the page to access the how-to guides described above.

https://detroitk12.sharepoint.com/sites/Evaluations

https://detroitk12.sharepoint.com/sites/Evaluations


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TRAINING Training is available to ensure all teachers have a strong understanding of the evaluation system. Please check the course catalog on Frontline to find upcoming sessions or reach out to the Evaluations team to find additional training options. You can contact us at [email protected].

All evaluators are required to complete a certification-style training to ensure they are well prepared to serve as evaluators. The training is a three-day course that culminates with an assessment that requires accurate rubric-based ratings of practice. The training and assessment must be successfully completed in order to obtain evaluator rights. Evaluator training will be offered each summer and fall.

LOCAL EXAMPLES OF EFFECTIVE PRACTICE The District will continually curate videos and other artifacts that illustrate effective practice. These will be shared with all teachers and evaluators via our evaluation management platform. We encourage you to contact the evaluations team if you have a practice you want to share, by emailing [email protected].



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APPENDIX A: GLOSSARY

Descriptors: Language that describes the essence of each performance area, used to differentiate four levels of performance: Highly Effective, Effective, Minimally Effective, and Ineffective.

Domain: The main category of practice within a rubric for which teachers will be held accountable.

Favorable Student Responses: Student responses that indicate agreement with items on the student survey.

Indicators: Indicators describe specific components of each domain.

Mid-Year Progress Report and Improvement Plan: First-year probationary teachers and teachers who earn an Ineffective or Minimally Effective summative rating on their most recent evaluation will complete the Mid-Year Progress Report and Improvement Plan at the Mid-Year Conference. These tools gauge a teacher’s improvement since the prior school year and support the teacher in improving. The Improvement Plan should include the teacher’s specific performance goals identified and actions to be taken to meet them.

Post-Observation Debrief: A meeting that takes place after all observations are completed, within ten school days of the classroom visit. During this meeting, the teacher and evaluator share reflections from the observation, review prioritized feedback related to the teacher’s recorded goals, discuss action steps to support the teacher’s development (e.g. formal training, coaching, observing others, etc.), and ratings. This information is recorded in the online data tool.

Summative Rating: Ratings that are intended to describe the final, overall level of proficiency for the school year determined by calculating the total number of points earned from the four measures of the evaluation system.

Teacher: Teachers of record who are hired and begin teaching prior to April 1 of the current school year are eligible to be evaluated using Thrive for Teachers. Additionally, some situations prevent a teacher from receiving an observation score. These situations may include, but are not limited to, teachers who transferred under specific circumstances, teachers on continuous FMLA, and/or other situations.

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APPENDIX B: TEACHER OBSERVATION RUBRIC

On the following pages, please find the four Domains of the Observation Rubrics, including:

• Domain 1: Management, Culture & Climate

• Domain 2: Rigorous Content

• Domain 3: Academic Ownership

• Domain 4: Demonstration of Learning

DOMAIN 1: MANAGEMENT, CULTURE AND CLIMATE

Do the expectations, systems and routines in this classroom promote student learning and personal growth?

Indicator Ineffective Minimally Effective Effective

Classroom Environment

The classroom is not inviting, and/or the classroom’s arrangement inhibits student opportunities for engagement.

Some areas of the classroom are uninviting for students, and/or the classroom’s arrangement does not maximize student opportunities for engagement.

All areas of the classroom are inviting for students and are arranged to maximize student opportunities for engagement.

Transitions, Routines and Procedures

Students do not execute transitions, routines, and procedures in an orderly manner. Very few or no students follow behavioral expectations and/or directions.

Students execute transitions, routines, and procedures in an orderly and efficient manner only some of the time and/or require substantial direction from the teacher. Some students follow behavioral expectations and/or directions.

Students execute transitions, routines, and procedures in an orderly and efficient manner most of the time and/or with minimal direction from the teacher. All or almost all students follow behavioral expectations and/or directions.

Instructional Norms Very few or no students engage with and complete instructional tasks when directed, volunteer responses, and/or ask appropriate questions. Students are left without work to do for a significant portion of the class period.

Some students engage with and complete instructional tasks when directed, volunteer responses, and/or ask appropriate questions. Students are occasionally idle while waiting for the teacher or left with nothing to do for several minutes at a time.

All or almost all students engage with and complete instructional tasks when directed, volunteer responses, and/or ask appropriate questions. Students are actively engaged in the work of the lesson through the entire class period. Students who finish assigned work early engage in meaningful work without interrupting other students’ learning.

Community Norms Very few or no students interact positively with peers or the teacher. Several behaviors occur that are outside of classroom norms, and they are either not addressed or inadequately addressed.

Some students and the teacher respond to each other in a positive, productive manner. Occasionally, behaviors outside of classroom norms occur, and they are not consistently addressed.

All or almost all students and the teacher respond to each other in a positive, productive manner that affirms the dignity and cultural background of all individuals in the classroom. Rarely, behaviors outside of classroom norms occur, but they are swiftly and appropriately addressed.

Highly Effective

All indicators for Effective are met, and at least one of the following is demonstrated: • Students can articulate the purpose of and assume responsibility for routines and procedures and execute them in an orderly, efficient, and self-directed

manner, requiring no direction or narration from the teacher. • Students demonstrate a sense of ownership of behavioral expectations by holding each other accountable for meeting them.

DOMAIN 2: RIGOROUS CONTENT Is the content of this lesson designed to ensure student mastery of grade level standards or IEP goals?


Standards-Aligned Content The lesson is not focused on content and practices that advance students toward course and grade-level standards and/or IEP goals.

The lesson partially focuses on content and practices that advance students toward course and grade-level standards and/or IEP goals.

The lesson focuses on content and practices that advance students toward course and grade-level standards and/or IEP goals.

High-Quality Instructional Materials Instructional materials are not appropriately demanding for the grade/course and time in the school year based on guidance in the standards and/or students’ IEP goals.

Some instructional materials are appropriately demanding for the grade/course and time in the schoolyear based on guidance in the standards and/or students’ IEP goals.

All or almost all instructional materials are appropriately demanding for the grade/course and time in the school year based on guidance in the standards and/or students’ IEP goals.

Questions and Tasks Few questions or tasks require the use of academic language or evidence, and they are rarely sequenced in a manner that builds knowledge or empowers students to take ownership of learning.

Some questions and tasks build knowledge and require the use of academic language and evidence

All or almost all questions and tasks are effectively sequenced to build knowledge and consistently require students to make use of academic language and evidence.

Sequential Activities Activities are poorly sequenced and do not build on each other to move students toward mastery of grade-level standard(s) and/or IEP goals.

Some activities are well-sequenced and build on each other to move students toward mastery of grade-level standard(s) and/or IEP goals.

All or almost all activities are well-sequenced and build on each other to move students toward mastery of grade-level standard(s) and/or IEP goals.

Highly Effective

All indicators for Effective are met, and at least one of the following is demonstrated:

• Students independently connect what they learn within and across content areas and apply their learning to real-world situations.

• Students connect their historical context (local, state, national, or international), and/or their own cultural identities and daily lives to the work of their classroom.

DOMAIN 3: ACADEMIC OWNERSHIP Are students responsible for doing the thinking in this classroom?


Cognitive Work Students are responsible for doing very little of the thinking required during the lesson, such as reading, writing, discussion, analysis, computation, or problem solving.

Students are responsible for doing some of the thinking required during the lesson, such as reading, writing, discussion, analysis, computation, or problem solving.

Students are responsible for doing most of the thinking required during the lesson, such as reading, writing, discussion, analysis, computation, or problem solving.

Persistence Very few or no students persist to complete academic work and answer questions.

Some students persist to complete academic work and answer questions, but others give up when the work is challenging.

All or almost all students persist to complete academic work and answer questions, even when the work is challenging.

Academic Discourse

Very few or no students share thinking through academic writing, oral explanations using academic language, and provide meaningful oral or written evidence to support their thinking.

Some students share thinking through academic writing, oral explanations using academic language, and provide meaningful oral or written evidence to support their thinking.

All or almost all students share thinking through academic writing, oral explanations using academic language, and providing meaningful oral or written evidence to support their thinking.

Providing Feedback

Students do not respond to their peers’ ideas or answers.

Students rarely respond to their peers’ ideas or answers, or they provide feedback only with significant teacher direction.

Students routinely respond to their peers’ ideas or answers.

Highly Effective


• Student synthesize diverse perspectives or points of view, or articulate evolutions in their understanding during the lesson.

• Students independently articulate their successes and needs as they work toward learning outcomes.

• Students independently show enthusiasm and interest in taking on advanced or more challenging content.

DOMAIN 4: DEMONSTRATION OF LEARNING

Do all students demonstrate that they are learning?


Tasks Yield Data Questions, tasks, and/or assessments do not yield data that allow the teacher to assess students’ progress toward learning goals.

Questions, tasks, and/or assessments yield data that only partially allow the teacher to assess students’ progress toward learning goals.

Questions, tasks, and/or assessments yield data that help pinpoint student misunderstandings and assess students’ progress toward learning goals.

Check for Understanding

Students have very few or no opportunities throughout the lesson to demonstrate learning.

Students have few opportunities throughout the lesson to demonstrate learning.

Students have frequent opportunities throughout the lesson to demonstrate learning.

Student Learning Student responses, work, and interactions demonstrate that few students are on track to achieve stated or implied learning goal for the lesson.

Student responses, work, and interactions demonstrate that some students are on track to achieve stated or implied learning goal for the lesson.

Student responses, work, and interactions demonstrate that all or almost all students are on track to achieve stated or implied learning goal for the lesson.

Highly Effective


• Students self-assess whether they have achieved the lesson objective and provide feedback to the teacher. • Students monitor their own progress, identify their own errors, and advocate for lesson adjustments that will help them improve.

APPENDIX C: COMMITMENT TO SCHOOL COMMUNITY RUBRIC

COMMITMENT TO SCHOOL COMMUNITY RUBRIC


Support of Local School Initiatives

Teacher rarely or never supports the local school initiatives in an effective manner.

Teacher sometimes supports the local school initiatives in an effective manner.

Teacher consistently supports the local school initiatives in an effective manner.

Professional Growth and Collaboration

Teacher rarely or never collaborates with colleagues to improve student achievement in an effective manner, and rarely or never seeks out opportunities to improve.

Teacher sometimes collaborates with colleagues to improve student achievement in an effective manner, and sometimes seeks out opportunities to improve.

Teacher consistently collaborates with colleagues to improve student achievement in an effective manner, and consistently seeks out opportunities to improve.

Promote High Academic and Behavioral Expectations

Teacher rarely or never promotes high academic and behavioral expectations, in an effective manner, for all students.

Teacher sometimes promotes high academic and behavioral expectations, in an effective manner, for all students.

Teacher consistently promotes high academic and behavioral expectations, in an effective manner, for all students.

Partnership with Students’ Families

Teacher rarely or never engages students’ families as valued partners in an effective manner.

Teacher sometimes engages students’ families as valued partners in an effective manner.

Teacher consistently engages students’ families as valued partners in an effective manner.

Highly Effective


• Teacher extends impact by finding new and innovative ways to help the local school initiatives succeed and/or by dedicating a truly exceptional amount of time and energy in support of the initiatives.

• Teacher extends impact by proactively seeking out collaborative opportunities with other teachers and/or dedicating a truly exceptional amount of time and energy towards promoting effective instructional collaboration.

• Teacher extends impact by finding new and innovative ways to foster engagement with students’ families and/or by dedicating a truly exceptional amount of time and energy towards partnering with them.

• Teacher extends impact by finding new and innovative ways to help promote high expectations and/or by dedicating a truly exceptional amount of time and energy towards developing a culture of high expectations in the school.

APPENDIX D: STATE AND DISTRICT ASSESSMENT TOOLS

ELA ASSESSMENTS Assessment Grades What does it measure? Considerations for

Evaluation M-STEP State summative assessment, online and adaptive.

3-7 The M-STEP assessment measures students’ proficiency on state standards at the end of the school year. Changes in performance across multiple years can also provide an indicator of Student Growth.

Data is released too late in the year for M-STEP to count on the current year; results will be included in the next year’s evaluation.

PSAT 8/9 State summative assessment, paper/pencil.

8 The PSAT 8/9 provides the first measurement of students’ path toward college readiness on the SAT. The Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section score is based on performance on two tests: reading and writing/language. Questions are aligned to the College Board Domains and Dimensions.

Data is released too late in the year for PSAT 8/9 to count on the current year; results will be included in the next year’s evaluation.

i-Ready District benchmark assessment, online and adaptive.

K-8 i-Ready measures students’ proficiency in five aspects of reading: phonological awareness, phonics, high-frequency words, vocabulary, and comprehension.

For evaluation, a student’s first non-red rush score will be used as the accountable test score. Progress will be measured against typical growth.

Academic Approach District benchmark assessment, paper/pencil.

8-12 Academic Approach assessments mirror the structure and content of College Board PSAT/SAT assessments. Questions are aligned to the College Board Domains and Dimensions.

Growth will be measured by comparing a student’s Fall to Spring change against typical annual changes in score.

MATH ASSESSMENTS Assessment Grades What does it measure? Considerations for

Evaluation M-STEP State summative assessment, online and adaptive.

3-7 The M-STEP assessment measures students’ proficiency on state standards at the end of the school year. Changes in performance across multiple years can also provide an indicator of Student Growth.

Data is released too late in the year for M-STEP to count on the current year; results will be included in the next year’s evaluation.

PSAT 8/9 State summative assessment, paper/pencil. Aligned to College Board Domains and Dimensions

8 The PSAT 8/9 provides the first measurement of students’ path toward college readiness on the SAT. The Math section score is based on performance in three main areas: Heart of Algebra, Problem Solving/Data Analysis, and Passport to Advanced Math. A small number of questions assess additional topics. Questions are aligned to the College Board Domains and Dimensions.

Data is released too late in the year for PSAT 8/9 to count on the current year; results will be included in the next year’s evaluation.

i-Ready District benchmark assessment, online and adaptive. Measures proficiency in five reading domains.

K-8 i-Ready measures students’ proficiency in five aspects of reading: numbers and operations, algebra and algebraic thinking, measurement and data, and geometry.

For evaluation, a student’s first non-red rush score will be used as the accountable test score. Progress will be measured against typical growth.

Academic Approach District benchmark assessment, paper/pencil. Measures college readiness on PSAT/SAT style assessment.

8-12 Academic Approach assessments mirror the structure and content of College Board PSAT/SAT assessments. Questions are aligned to the College Board Domains and Dimensions.

Growth will be measured by comparing a student’s Fall to Spring change against typical annual changes in score.

SCIENCE ASSESSMENTS Assessment Grades What does it measure? Considerations for

Evaluation District-Developed Benchmark Assessment District benchmark assessment, online

5, 8, 11 The District-developed benchmark assessment measures students’ proficiency in grade-level standards. Science questions are designed to align with the 3-dimensional framework of the new state science standards.

Questions that are not aligned to the instructional grade (5, 8, US History) are excluded from calculations of Student Growth.

SOCIAL STUDIES ASSESSMENTS Assessment Grades What does it measure? Considerations for

Evaluation District-Developed Benchmark Assessment District benchmark assessment, online

5, 8, 11

The District-developed benchmark assessment measures students’ proficiency in grade-level standards. Questions on this test align with the most frequently assessed standards on the state summative assessment.

Questions that are not aligned to the instructional grade (5, 8, 11) are excluded from calculations of Student Growth.

APPENDIX E: SAMPLE SUMMATIVE SCORE WORKSHEET

This worksheet provides sample calculations for a fictional teacher, Ms. Smith.

Obs

erva

tions

Domain Indicator Cycle 1 Rating Cycle 2 Rating Average Domain Score

Domain 1: Management and Culture

Indicator 1 2 2 2

10

Indicator 2 2 2 2

Indicator 3 2 2 2

Indicator 4 2 2 2

HE Indicator 0 2 N/A

Domain 2: Rigorous Content

Indicator 1 1 1 1

4

Indicator 2 0 2 1

Indicator 3 1 1 1

Indicator 4 0 2 1


Domain 3: Academic Ownership

Indicator 1 2 1 1.5

6

Indicator 2 1 2 1.5

Indicator 3 2 1 1.5

Indicator 4 2 1 1.5


Domain 4: Demonstration of Learning

Indicator 1 0 1 0.5

2.5 Indicator 2 1 1 1

Indicator 3 0 2 1


Component Score: 22.5 points

Com

mitm

ent t

o S

choo

l Com

mun

ity Indicator Cycle 1 Rating Cycle 2 Rating Average

Component Score: 6 points

Indicator 1 2 1 1.5

Indicator 2 1 2 1.5

Indicator 3 2 1 1.5

Indicator 4 2 1 1.5


Stu

dent

S

urve

ys

Topic Percent Favorable National Percentile Points Earned

Component Score: 8 points

Topic 1 79% 60th – 79th 2

Topic 2 75% 40th – 59th 1.5

Topic 3 73% 60th – 79th 2

Topic 4 68% 80th – 99th 2.5

APPENDIX F: BLANK SUMMATIVE SCORE WORKSHEET

Use this table to calculate your evaluation points throughout the course of the year, based on Classroom Observations, Commitment to School Community ratings and Student Surveys.

Obs

erva

tions

Domain Indicator Cycle 1 Rating Cycle 2 Rating Average Domain Score

Domain 1: Management and Culture

Indicator 1

Indicator 2

Indicator 3

Indicator 4

HE Indicator

Domain 2: Rigorous Content

Indicator 1

Indicator 2

Indicator 3

Indicator 4

HE Indicator

Domain 3: Academic Ownership

Indicator 1

Indicator 2

Indicator 3

Indicator 4

HE Indicator

Domain 4: Demonstration of Learning

Indicator 1

Indicator 2

Indicator 3

HE Indicator

Component Score:

Com

mitm

ent t

o S

choo

l Com

mun

ity Indicator Cycle 1 Rating Cycle 2 Rating Average

Component Score:

Indicator 1

Indicator 2

Indicator 3

Indicator 4

HE Indicator

Stu

dent

S

urve

ys

Topic Percent Favorable National Percentile Points Earned

Component Score:

Topic 1

Topic 2

Topic 3 Topic 4

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