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On June 1, 2013, New York State Education Commissioner John King outlined the details of New York City’s new system for teacher evaluation, which would be enacted districtwide in September 2013. Although the new evaluation system was a positive step toward helping teachers grow and improve, the system’s ultimate success will be defined by the quality of its implementation.
To be successful, teacher evaluation must foster effective communication and trust between all parties. It is imperative that the system be implemented with fidelity by including thoughtful training, transparency, accountability and reflection.
Recommendations:
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Train evaluators and teachers on how to use the Danielson Framework and on how to give and receive feedback in constructive conversations.
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Organize teachers’ observation schedules to prioritize support and development.
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Manage principals’ observation portfolios and leverage highly effective teachers as trained observers.
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Deliver feedback in a timely fashion and tie it to meaningful and targeted professional development opportunities.
- Gather feedback on the teacher evaluation process using system wide surveys.
About the Teacher Action Team
Our team of 14 teachers met for several months to review research on different evaluation systems, as well as proposed or piloted local strategies. Additionally, we hosted conversations with leaders from the New York City Department of Education, TNTP and other national experts. Our Policy Team conducted more than 120 peer and administrator interviews to gather critical stakeholder feedback. We also conducted a survey of 170 E4E members and nonmembers to understand the most critical issues affecting teacher evaluation implementation.