NEW: Changes Coming to State Teacher Evaluation System
Friday, March 30, 2012
Changes are coming to the state's teacher evaluation system, the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) confirmed today.
The goal, according to RIDE, is to streamline the entire process, strive for clarity, accuracy and consistency and align the model with other initiatives.
The changes include:
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Changing from a Professional Practice rubric with 21 competencies that requires both classroom observations and artifact review to an observation rubric with 8 competencies;
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Reducing the minimum of classroom observations from 4 to 3;
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Not requiring post observation conferences;
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Reducing the minimum of Professional Growth Goals from 3 to 1;
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Reducing the minimum of Student Learning Objectives from a range of 2-4 to 2 so that we can focus on quality as we build toward a maximum of 4;
- Streamlining all paperwork/forms and building a technology platform - the Educator Performance and Support System (EPSS), to reduce the need for paper.
National Education Association Government Relations Director Patrick Crowley said the new model comes after teachers throughout the state called for changes to the system.
"We're pleased RIDE is finally hearing the voices of educators in the process of developing the educator evaluation model," Crowley said. "Our Delegate Assembly, who are the classroom educators from across the state, two weeks ago delivered a unanimous call to change to proposals under discussion at RIDE. Our members believe in a vigorous and fair evaluation system and hopefully these changes will lead us in that direction."