In its latest report, The New Teacher Project (TNTP) addresses eligible applicants of Round 3 of the Race to the Top (taking place this fall), and other states seeking to most effectively invest their time and resources in implementing revised teacher development and evaluation tools. Their investment suggestions fall into five categories:
1. Tools and systems to guide and support the evaluation process. Includes rubrics for evaluation, data systems for storing evaluation information, student learning measures for “non-tested grades and subjects,” and implementation of the “teacher value-added” model.
2. Training for evaluators and key district staff. Includes development of training modules for teachers, evaluators, and evaluators’ managers and assessments for evaluators to ensure they understand the new system.
3. Communications to key audiences, especially educators. Includes appropriate staff to handle communications; clear plans for communication with all stakeholders; materials to explain the new evaluation system; and creation of a website dedicated to evaluation resources and information.
4. Monitoring and support to ensure consistent implementation. Includes developing clear metrics of success, creating support teams to oversee and monitor the first year of implementation, and creating a system of accountability for evaluators.
5. Sustainability of new systems over time. Includes ensuring the new program can be sustained after the Race to the Top money has been spent; making changes in current organizational structures to support the continuation of the new system; and continuously evaluating and improving the system.
The entire report can be found at http://tntp.org/files/TNTP_Smart_Spending_2011_1.pdf. For more information about The New Teacher Project, visit http://tntp.org/.
