Teacher Professional Growth & Evaluation

Teacher evaluations should be comprehensive, fair, and based on multiple measures, including classroom observations, student feedback, self-reflection, and student performance data. A well-designed evaluation system ensures that teachers receive constructive feedback, support their professional growth, and ultimately improve student outcomes. The newest teacher evaluation system aligns with the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Schools (NSBECS) and with the newest WCEA Accreditation Standards of Excellence protocol. OCS is supporting the use of this summative teacher evaluation system as a supplement to consistent classroom walk throughs, observations and discussions with educators about continuous improvement. Our GRACE teacher leaders and other BLC subcommittees have provided comments and suggestions to develop this new evaluation system.

LINK TO THE NEW TEACHER EVALUATION: OCS – Teacher Evaluation System 2022

Also, we have partnered with eWalk to develop a digital tool that can be used with this new evaluation system to ensure accessible and technologically supportive options for educator evaluation systems.

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Overview of the Suggested Teacher Evaluation Process Using the 5D+ and Catholic Identity Rubrics

Suggested Evaluation Process

1. Teacher completes a self-evaluation by the end of October (see teacher focus-setting template) and logs his/her goals and focus area in the Teacher Professional Growth Tracker.

• 1 instructional focus area related to dimension 1, 2, 3, 4, and/or 5 (CEL 5 Dimensions)
• 1 goal related to dimension 6 (Professional Collaboration & Communication)
• 1 goal related to dimension 7 (Catholic Identity)

* The instructional focus area does not have to address an entire dimension, rather it might address 3-6 indicators within a single dimension or across multiple dimensions.

*Principals may ask all teachers to set an instructional focus within specific dimensions. For example, as a school you might work on student engagement. Every teacher would then determine a focus related to student engagement.

2. Principal conducts at least three 10-15-minute walkthrough observations before January, focusing on the teacher’s instructional focus related to dimension 1, 2, 3, 4, and/or 5.
3. Teacher completes mid-year reflection by updating the Teacher Professional Growth Tracker. Principal completes mid-year formative evaluation using the mid-year form on the E-Walk online teacher observation platform. Teacher and principal meet to discuss. At this point, the teacher might be ready to determine a new area of focus for the second semester. If so, the focus-setting template is updated.
4. Principal conducts at least three more 10-15-minute walkthrough observations before the end of the year, focusing on the instructional focus related to dimension 1, 2, 3, 4, and/or 5.
5. Teacher completes end-of-year-reflection by updating the Teacher Professional Growth Tracker.
6. Principal completes teacher’s end-of-year evaluation using the end-of-year evaluation form on the E-Walk online teacher observation platform.

• First year teachers should receive a focused evaluation (see evaluation types below).
• Teachers in their second or third year and teachers on an improvement plan should receive a summative evaluation (see evaluation types below).
• Teachers in good standing may receive a focused evaluation, but all teachers should receive a summative evaluation at least every three years.
• See section 3.60 of the Archdiocesan Human Resources Personnel Policies for Category I Catholic School Employees for additional information regarding teacher evaluation.

6. Principal and teacher meet to review summative evaluation. Teacher has the opportunity to provide comments on end-of-year evaluation.

Evaluation Types

1. Summative

• Includes at least 4 of the 7 dimensions (at least two entire instructional dimensions plus Professional Collaboration and Communication and Catholic identity).
• All indicators for which data has been collected are assessed
• Appropriate for new teachers in their second or third year, teachers on an improvement plan, teachers in a summative evaluation year, or teachers seeking more in-depth feedback

2. Focused

• Only the indicators around which teachers set goals are assessed
• Appropriate for returning teachers in good standing who are not in a summative evaluation year and teachers in their first year

3. Initial Employment Period

• Includes all indicators on the rubric which the principal has observed
• Simplified evaluation rubric includes: “Meets expectation,” “Does not meet expectation,” and “Not evaluated.”
• Appropriate for teachers in the initial three-month hire period. This evaluation will be conducted in addition to a focused observation at the end of the year.

Suggested Teacher- Principal Conversations

Conversation Architectures (included below) can be helpful tools for these conversations.

1. Beginning-of-the-Year

• Note areas of strength and areas of growth
• Articulate instructional area of focus, Professional Collaboration and Communication goal, and Catholic identity goal
• Teacher highlights what he/she will do to achieve goals and work on his/her instructional area of focus
• Teacher and principal discuss what support the principal will provide to help the teacher achieve goals and improve instruction

Resources needed: Teacher Focus-Setting Template, Teacher Professional Growth Tracker

2. Mid-Year

• Teacher and principal review the observation data available in E-Walk
• Discuss strengths and areas for growth revealed through the observation data
• Discuss progress towards the instructional area of focus and goals the teacher set at the beginning of the year
• (Set new instructional area of focus and/or goals if the teacher has achieved the goals set)
• Teacher highlights what he/she will do to achieve goals and work on his/her instructional area of focus
• Teacher and principal discuss what support the principal will provide to help the teacher achieve goals and improve instruction

Resources needed: Data from E-Walk, Teacher Focus-Setting Template (if setting new goals), Teacher Professional Growth Tracker, Mid-Year Evaluation Form (E-Walk)

3. End-of-Year

• Review end-of-year evaluation completed by the principal (see summative or focused above)
• Discuss strengths and areas for growth revealed through the observation data
• Discuss progress towards the teacher’s instructional area of focus and goals (includes goals set at the beginning of the year and any new goals identified over the course of the year)
• Identify potential new instructional area of focus for the next year (to be formalized/finalized in the fall)

Resources needed: Summative Evaluation Form (E-Walk), Data from E-Walk, Teacher Professional Growth Tracker

Helpful Resources:

1. Staff Development:

• Facilitator’s Guide to CEL 5D+ Implementation

2. Rubrics:

• CEL 5D+ Rubric
• Archdiocesan Addendum to Dimension 6, Professional Collaboration and Communication
• Archdiocesan Catholic Identity Rubric for Teachers

3. Tools for Teacher Goal-Setting:

• Archdiocesan Teacher Focus-Setting Template
• Archdiocesan Teacher Professional-Growth Tracker
• Sample Completed Teacher Focus-Setting Template
• Area of Focus Process Worksheet
• Sample Area of Focus Worksheet

4. Tools for Teacher-Principal Conversations:

• Planning Conversation Architecture
• Next Step Conversation Architecture
• Affirmation Conversation Architecture
• Reflection Conversation Architecture