State and district leaders need more than high-quality measures of teacher effectiveness to make their evaluation policies stick. They also need communications and engagement strategies, ongoing professional learning and support opportunities for teachers, and a plan to combine and use evaluation data to inform decisions at the school, district and state level. Without these pieces in place, the efforts of states and districts to change their evaluation and support policies may be less effective.
Several states and districts are leading the way and showing us how to communicate and engage with educators, support teachers, and use data effectively. Education First, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has compiled these strategies in the second installment of the series Evaluation & Support: Strategies for Success. The briefs provide state and district policymakers with practical advice and strategies on the following topics:
Brief 4: Professional Learning and Support
Link: http://www.education-first.com/files/EdFirst_Eval-ProfLearning-Apr9.pdf
Brief 5: Communications and Engagement
Link: http://www.education-first.com/files/EdFirst_Eval-CommsEngagement-Apr9.pdf
Brief 6: Using Data from Multiple Measures
Link: http://www.education-first.com/files/EdFirst_Eval-MultipleMeasures-Apr9.pdf
The first three briefs on Classroom Observations, Student Surveys and Student Learning Objectives can be accessed from Education First’s online library.
Link: http://www.education-first.com/our-focus/education-first-library
Also, check out Education First’s executive summary of their findings, Giving Teachers the Feedback and Support They Deserve: Five Essential Practices.
Link: http://www.education-first.com/files/EdFirst_Evaluation_Report_Summary_Mar26.pdf
