Guilford County Board of Education
Fall Retreat
October 2, 2010
To:Members, Board of Education
From:Maurice O. Green, Superintendent
Beth L. Folger, Chief Academic Officer
Regional Superintendents
Date:October 2, 2010
RE:Teacher Evaluation Cycle
The purpose of the North Carolina Educator Evaluation system is to promote and support effective leadership, quality teaching, and student learning. The evaluation instruments are based on the Framework for 21st Century Learning and the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards. The instruments are designed to promote effective leadership, quality teaching, and student learning while enhancing professional practice and leading to improved instruction. All of the instruments and processes are designed to encourage professional growth, to be flexible and fair to the persons being evaluated, and to serve as the foundation for the establishment of professional goals and identification of professional development needs.
The North Carolina State Board of Education Policy TCP-C-004 – North Carolina Teacher Evaluation Rubric and Process for Teacher Evaluation, states that (1) career-status teachers shall be evaluated annually, unless the LEA establishes a different evaluation cycle for career teachers, and (2) during the year in which a career status teacher participates in a summative evaluation, the principal shall conduct at least three observations, including at least one formal observation.
In order to establish the length of the GCS evaluation cycle, administration reviewed the GCS Strategic Plan, the low performing (LP) school plans, the efforts to support lower achieving schools, and the implementation timeline for the new teacher evaluation instrument. The review clearly provided evidence of the district’s focus on having excellent teachers, staff, and administrators in all schools. Included in the multiple plans were strategies for holding adults accountable, recruiting and retaining effective staff, providing effective professional development aimed at improved teaching and learning, and increased feedback via the walkthrough process, rounds model, and full-cycle evaluations. However, teacher quality remains an area for improvement. GCS administrators are strongly encouraged to focus on the quality of teaching and learning as a key strategy to improve achievement district wide, which parallels with our teacher efficacy initiatives, including Mission Possible and the Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) grant.
Principals provided input in 2009-10 on the frequency for the evaluation of career-status teachers. Principal opinions were split between a three-year cycle and a five-year cycle. During the Superintendent’s and Chief Academic Officer’s small group principal meetings, the three-year cycle was mentioned frequently. The leadership of Academic Services revisited the issue and debated for a lengthy time about the pros and cons of both options.
After much thought and debate, administration decided to establish a three-year evaluation cycle for career-status teachers. Thus, in year one a career-status teacher will participate in at least three observations including one formal observation and a summary evaluation, followed by no formal observations during years two and three. While GCS has designated the three-year evaluation cycle as the minimum for career-status teachers, principals may choose to provide evaluations more frequently. The decision to implement a three-year cycle is tightly aligned with our philosophy and strategies for improving achievement.
Non-career status teachers will continue to receive evaluations on a yearly basis. The three-year evaluation cycle for career-status teachers will be implemented with one-third of these teachers beginning the three-year cycle in 2010-11, one-third in 2011-12, and one-third in 2012-13. The following 2010-11 Teacher Evaluation Calendar provides further details.
2010-11 Teacher Evaluation Calendar
Non-Career Teachers
(yearly)
Career-Status Teachers
(Full-Cycle – 1/3 of Teachers)
Career-Status Teachers
(Alternate Cycle – 1/3 of Teachers)
Orientation
by September 2, 2010
Orientation
by September 2, 2010
Orientation
by September 2, 2010
Self-Assessment and PDP
by September 30, 2010
Self-Assessment and PDP
by October 31, 2010
Self-Assessment and PDP
by September 30, 2010
Observation #1
by October 31, 2010
Observation #1
by December 15, 2010
Possible Non-Renewal Letter
by December 15, 2010
Observation #2
by January 31, 2011
Observation #2
by February 28, 2011
Mid-Year PDP Review
by January 31, 2011
Mid-Year PDP Review
by February 28, 2011
Mid-Year PDP Review
by February 28, 2011
Observation #3
by March 31, 2011
Observation #3
by May 31, 2011
PDP Review and Summary
Evaluation by April 15, 2011
PDP Review and Summary Evaluation by May 31, 2011
Final PDP Review
by May 31, 2011 |
