Why now?

As we ask and expect more from our children, we must also ask and expect more from teachers and principals. Tennessee can only successfully rise to the top, preparing every child for college and career in the 21^st century, by significantly improving student achievement. First to the Top will give the State and districts resources to provide more support and development opportunities for teachers and principals to ensure everyone has the opportunity to grow and succeed.

What are the benefits for educators?

Frequent and constructive feedback for our teachers. Past evaluations have failed to give teachers the accurate, useful feedback they need to do their best work in the classroom. With at least four observations a year, TEAM gives all teachers, novices and veterans alike, regular feedback on their performance and opportunities for professional growth.

A framework to pinpoint teachers’ individual strengths and development needs in order to tailor support. Identifying individual areas of strength will help us learn more about what is working well in classrooms. Identifying individual development areas will help us provide teachers with meaningful professional development opportunities aligned to their needs and the needs of their students.

A way to  recognize and learn from TN's most effective educators in order to better support other educators, and the system as a whole. TEAM provides a way to identify the teachers having the most impact on their students. There are great teachers across Tennessee, and there is a lot to learn from them. We will learn from their experience and expertise to improve strategies around instruction, recruitment, retention and training.

Is there a final effectiveness score?

Yes.  Under the First to the Top Act, the new teacher evaluation system must be a calculation of 50% qualitative and 50% quantitative data. What this means is that the frequent observations will be scored using a rubric that outlines clear expectations of high-quality instruction, planning, classroom environment and professionalism. The scores from these areas are combined with measures of student learning. TEAM uses both a measure of growth and an achievement measure. This total calculation results in an effectiveness rating.

How are school administrators evaluated?

Principals and Assistant Principals will be evaluated according to several measures: 35% of their evaluation will be determined by their scores on a rubric that is based on the standards outlined in the Tennessee Instructional Leadership Standards (TILS). Another 15% of administrator evaluations will be based on an assessment of the quality of teacher evaluations.  School wide growth data will account for 35% of the evaluation and the remaining 15% will be based on an achievement measure agreed upon by the administrator and their evaluator.

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What was the role of Teacher Evaluation Advisory Committee (TEAC) and what recommendations were made?

The First to the Top Act required the creation of a 15-member Teacher Evaluation Advisory Committee to recommend guidelines and criteria for the new evaluation. For a list of members and meeting minutes, please click here.

The Teacher Evaluation Advisory Committee was created by the First to the Top Act to recommend guidelines and criteria for the new evaluation system. Committee members include teachers, principals, legislators, business leaders and Tennessee Department of Education officials. The committee has met since March to discuss the following components: (A) categories of educators, (B) components of the evaluation, i.e. growth and achievement measures, (C) guidelines around process for the evaluation, (D) desired outcomes of the new evaluation and (E) the use of the new evaluation system as a factor in human capital decisions.

The TEAC presented recommendations to the State Board of Education in April outlining guidelines and criteria for the new evaluation system. These recommendations were approved unanimously and include the following key pieces:

• 4 observations per year for professional teachers and 6 observations for apprentice teachers followed by feedback conferences.
• Required domains for the 50% qualitative instrument.
• Possible options for the 15% student achievement component.
• A process for identifying and/or developing alternative growth measures for educators in non-tested subjects and grades.

What information and data did the TEAC and TDOE use to develop recommendations?

The Tennessee Consortium on Research, Evaluation and Development (TN CRED) partnered with TDOE to conduct a field test of several teacher performance rubrics and data collection tools to inform the Teacher Evaluation Advisory Committee and the Department of Education as they developed recommendations for evaluation policy and tools. For additional information about the field test, click here.

Why use the TEAM Rubric?

The TEAM Rubric is the result of a successful collaboration with the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET).  TDOE chose to partner with NIET to develop the 50% qualitative component for TEAM based on several factors:

• Positive field test results.
• Research that links the instrument to increases in student achievement.
• Capacity of NIET to provide expert trainers for high-quality direct training and certification of all   observers and evaluators statewide.
• Availability of the NIET Best Practices Portal to provide immediate access to training and development resources for teachers.

In year one, TDOE has provided all schools with access to the NIET Best Practices Portal, containing a host of scored lesson videos and linked instructional strategies.

What student data is used for the quantitative side?

The evaluation system measures both the quality of each teacher’s work in the classroom (qualitative) as well as what the students learn (quantitative) in order to present a comprehensive picture of the teacher’s effectiveness. 35% of the rating is a measure of student growth over a year’s time and 15% of the rating is student achievement relative to state standards.

Student Growth (35%): For many teachers, the growth measure used in the evaluation is TVAAS, a statistical method that compares each student's actual growth to their projected growth.  For teachers without individual TVAAS data for their grades and subjects, the growth measures will be school-wide TVAAS or other comparable measure approved by TDOE.  To learn more about the ongoing work around growth measures for teachers of non-tested grades and subjects please click here.

Student Achievement (15%): TDOE has provided a list of options and teachers and evaluators will work together at the beginning of the school year to select the most appropriate achievement measure to be incorporated into the evaluation rating. For a complete list of approved options and guidance, please click here.

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How will the State support districts to prepare their evaluators, observers and teachers for the implementation of TEAM?

As observations and conferences begin, the NIET Best Practices Portal will prove to be an invaluable resource. The portal provides extensive information about conducting observations, assessing against the rubric with accuracy, and supporting teachers.  In addition, the TDOE website has been updated to house extensive information and resources to support TEAM implementation through year one. To access additional resources for teachers and principals on the Educators Resources page, click here. Finally, the new data system will allow school and district staff to track progress toward completing the expected number of observations and conferences.

How many observations will teachers have each year?

Teachers with a professional license will be observed four times annually: two 15-minute observations and two lesson-length observations. Teachers with an apprentice license will be observed six times annually: three 15-minute observations and three lesson-length observations.  In November 2011, the State Board of Education approved a flexibility provision which gives the option for the observation of two domians (planning and instruction or environment and instruction) in a single classroom visit.  See the updated TEAM Observation Pacing Guide for information on how this change may impacte observations for the remainder of the school year. 

The observations will be equally distributed across the two semesters, and at least half will be unannounced. It is important to note here that lesson-length does not necessarily mean a full period, but a full lesson. For additional information about the observation process, please click here.

Who will do the observations?

Under the TEAM system, all educators except administrators will be observed by principals, assistant principals or other instructional leaders trained in the observation protocol. All observers will use the TEAM Rubric which focuses on four areas: Planning, Instruction, Environment and Professionalism, and Instruction. The rubric can be found here.

How will observers be trained?

All observers are being trained directly by expert trainers in four-day training sessions across the state. At the end of the four days, observers are required to pass a certification test. Additional refresher trainings and support will also be provided throughout the year. For more information about the certification and training process, click here.

Where will evaluation data be entered?

Evaluators will input the results of observations into a new electronic data system. This will help evaluators quickly and easily track the observations they conduct and ensure that they are gathering all the information required. The new data system will also allow TDOE to monitor observation results in real time and offer targeted support to districts as they implement the new evaluation system for the first time. For additional information about the data system, please click here.

How will the TDOE monitor the evaluation outcomes to ensure that districts and schools are implementing the system with consistency and accuracy?

The TDOE will be using the evaluation data to identify district-level trends such as delays in completing the required number of observations, score inflation/ deflation, inconsistency between evaluation ratings and value-added results, and incomplete results. As these areas are assessed, TDOE will provide needed interventions including retraining and on-the-ground support. In addition, TDOE will equip district leaders with guidance to use the evaluation data to look for these trends across their schools and to provide needed support and interventions.

Why are most teachers being evaluated on the same rubric in the TEAM system?

The key components of good instruction are similar, regardless of the grade level, subject area, or the needs of your students.  That’s why the TEAM Rubric is based on teaching standards supported by research that shows a correlation between performance on these standards and increased growth in student learning. However, we recognize that activities and content in the classroom may look different in every classroom. Ultimately, the TEAM Rubric is not a checklist, and evaluators are urged to use their instructional expertise as they apply the rubrics during observations, recognizing that the TEAM Rubric is a tool to support administrators and teachers to assess the level of effectiveness of instruction, and to identify areas of strength and development.  You can find additional information about special education here, including how the rubric will be applied to lessons for students with severe disabilities.

How will overall evaluation scores be calculated?

The three components (35% student growth, 15% student achievement and 50% observation), will be combined. Each teacher will receive a final score on an effectiveness scale of Significantly Below Expectations (1) to Significantly Above Expectations (5). At the beginning of the school year, evaluators need to work with their observers and teachers to begin observations and select the 15% measure. The actual calculation of a score will not be a factor in the process until much later in the school year and the final calculation will be completed by the data system.  See Calculating the Effectiveness Rating for more information.

How will the 35% growth measure be calculated for teachers who teach in more than one school?

If a teacher works at 3 schools or fewer for equal time, an average of the scores of all the schools student data can be used. If it is more than 3 schools, district-wide data is suggested for the score. One principal should be designated to compute and enter the averaged score at the end of the year into the data system.

How will evaluation scores be used?

The First to the Top Act requires evaluations to be used as a factor in personnel decisions, including professional development, tenure attainment and dismissal. The State will provide guidance to districts for using evaluations in these decisions, including how to best align professional development and other supports to evaluation results. However, with the exception of tenure recommendations, districts will decide how evaluation results are used in personnel decisions.  To learn more about the changes to tenure, click here.

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Will TEAM be revised after the first year? 

TEAM was designed through a collaborative effort that included teachers, principals, community leaders and national experts. Thousands of educators participated in the field testing process, using the new model, providing feedback and ultimately contributing to many of the final design decisions. But no system is perfect in its first version, and as implementation begins, TDOE is committed to learning from educators’ on-the-ground experiences with TEAM to determine where the system needs revision.

How will the feedback be collected and used?

Feedback will be collected from teachers, principals, districts leaders and parents. The Tennessee Consortium on Research, Evaluation and Development (TN CRED) is partnering with TDOE in this feedback collection process, launching a statewide survey (Spring 2012) as well conducting focus groups throughout the year. In addition, the Commissioner and TDOE leadership will be traveling across the state to meet with stakeholders throughout the year.

For more information about the process of collecting feedback and developing recommendations for TEAM revisions, please click here.

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Q: Can more than one measure be used for the 15% achievement measure?

A: Due to the challenges of calculating the achievement measure, you should only choose one measure rather than trying to combine multiple assessments.

Q: Do I need to fill out a separate observation form for each domain?

A: Since each observation form in CODE contains all three observation domains, you only need to fill out one observation form per classroom visit.  For example, if you observe instruction and planning in one classroom visit, you can fill out the instruction and planning sections and leave the environment section blank.  Additionally, you only need to identify one area of reinforcement and refinement per classroom visit. 

Q: Are we required to have teachers self-score?

A: Self-scoring is an option in the CODE data system, but districts have the discretion to choose whether to require teachers to self-score after an observation.  The department does not require teachers to self-score after observations and self-scores do not count, but could be a useful tool for evaluators and teachers to use in post-conference coaching conversations. 

Q: If we have teachers who do not have a license number yet, what do we use for their license number in the CODE data system?

A: If you have teachers who are waiting to obtain their license numbers, please use their email addresses in the license number field.  When the license numbers are returned, please be sure to replace that field with the correct license number.  Additionally, if you have district staff who do not have a license number, you may use their email addresses in the license number field as well.

Q: For the “off the shelf” achievement measure selection, what does it mean for an assessment to not be “locally scored”?

A: For the approved “off the shelf” achievement measures, the assessment answers and the appropriate scales cannot be created locally.  If the test is vendor-driven (ex: DIBELS) and has a nationally standardized scoring guide, that would be permissible for the achievement measure even if others in the district physically score the results. 

Q: Which 15% measures have been removed for this year?    

A:  The State Board of Education approved a revised list of 15% measure categories in August. The following measure categories have been removed by policy:

• CTE Concentrator Graduation Rate  
• Post-secondary matriculation/persistence/placement  
• Dual enrollment/dual credit participation 
• 9th grade promotion/retention

There have also been additional updates within the categories:

• CTE Competencies has been removed as an option within the "off the shelf" category.
• Formative assessments remain in the "off the shelf" category, but using formative assessments for evaluative purposes is not recommended.

Q: For teachers whose license type is "pending," how should we determine the minimum required number of observations?  

A: If the school or district has recommended that a teacher advance to a professional license, you may proceed as if that teacher has a professional license.  If the school or district recommended that the teacher remain an apprentice teacher, please proceed as if that individual is still an apprentice teacher.

Q: Do I need to select an area of reinforcement and refinement for each observation domain or for each classroom visit?  

A: Observers only need one area of reinforcement and refinement per classroom visit. If multiple domains are observed during a single classroom visit, a different area of reinforcement and refinement is not necessary for each domain.

Q: Are CTE Competencies still an option for the 15% measure?

A: No. CTE Competencies have been removed as an option within the "off the shelf" category for the 15% measure. CTE Competencies will be reviewed this year to ensure options are relevant and properly aligned to specific programs of study to be included as options for next year.

Q: Is there any guidance on which survey to use for the purposes of administrator evaluation? 

A: A district may choose to use any survey instrument they deem appropriate. For many districts this will mean using the TELL Survey which will be administered in March. Survey results are used as one base of evidence to inform observation scoring; however, the results themselves are not included as a component of the overall evaluation score.

Q: How many years of data will school-wide growth scores take into consideration this year?

A: For the 2012-13 school year, all teachers and administrators using a school-wide growth score will only use the score from the 2012-13 school year. Teachers using individual growth scores will continue to use up to three years of data, when available.

Q: What is the deadline for selecting the measures for 35% growth scores for non-tested teachers and 15% academic achievement measures?  

A: We will be releasing the process guide for the entire 2012-13 evaluation cycle by the end of September.  We have held off on finalizing data entry deadlines until we have confirmed timelines associated with the evaluation data system for year two.  Even though we have not yet released deadlines for selecting these measures, we encourage you to move forward with discussions regarding the 15% academic achievement measures and 35% growth scores during pre-conferences and/or initial coaching conversations.  

Q: How many years of data will school-wide growth scores take into consideration this year?  

A: For the 2012-13 school year, all teachers and administrators using a school-wide growth score will only use the score from the 2012-13 school year.  Last year we used up to three years of data, depending on the number of years a teacher had been in the building.  In response to your feedback and the fact that school-wide scores have enough data points to be reliable with just one year of data, we will use only the scores from the 2012-13 school year for all school-wide growth scores. Additionally, this change will better represent the efforts of schools in turnaround situations.

Q: How can planning be observed during an unannounced classroom visit?   

A: In light of new policy changes on the pacing of observations, we have received questions about how planning can be observed in an unannounced classroom visit. For unannounced planning you can collect the lesson plan after the classroom visit. Since the spirit of the planning domain is to assess how effectively a teacher plans for instruction, teachers can retrospectively share a typical lesson plan that they would use on a normal day. 

Additionally, it is important to remember that any specific requirement(s) for the lesson plan itself is entirely a district and/or school decision. Furthermore, assessment of a teacher's planning should be driven by what is best for student learning, and while most teachers will be assessed on planning only once during the year, districts can collect additional lesson plans at their discretion.

Q: How do the new policies affect districts that applied for TEAM Flexibility? 

A: In light of the recent policy changes, we have carefully reviewed the unique circumstances in some districts that applied for TEAM Flexibility. In doing so, we have decided that any district approved for flexibility may, at their choosing, elect to follow the new TEAM policies rather than their approved flexibility plan. For districts who continue with their approved flexibility plans, any elements within TEAM Flexibility that are more rigorous than the revised policies may of course still be implemented at the district's discretion. If your flexibility plan dealt with sequencing of observations, you may choose to consider following the sequencing provided in our observation pacing guide.

Q: Are there any forms to complete during the summative conference? 

A: In an effort to reduce paperwork and increase time for meaningful conversation about instruction, there is no specific form to complete for your year-end conference with teachers. Any documentation required is at the district's discretion. The only end of year expectation is complete data in the data system for all teachers. Summative conference conversations should focus on the identified areas of reinforcement and refinement, as well as a general discussion of the previous year. Many summative conferences will likely take the form of coaching conversations.

Q. How do the new policies affect districts using alternate models?

A: Please see the chart below to determine whether the new policies apply to your district:

Q: For the new policy on the acceptable range of results, are the observation scores rounded to calculate whether a score is 2 performance levels away?

A: Observation scores are translated into whole numbers using the following scale.  The scale for converting summative observation scores to whole numbers for the purposes of determining the acceptable range is the same scale that is used to create the overall effectiveness rating.  

Q. How do we know how many observations to conduct for a teacher whose 15% achievement score is missing?

A: The uncertainty of overall evaluation scores due to late returning 15% achievement scores is a challenge many districts face as they plan their observation pacing for the year.  In most cases, a teacher’s overall evaluation score will not change once the 15% achievement score is entered.  For that reason, it is recommended to proceed according to the data that is currently available to you.

However, there will be cases where the overall score changes.  If the score changes once the 15% achievement score is returned, you may adjust the minimum required number of observations accordingly during the second semester.  If you have the ability to enter achievement scores for teachers and have not yet done so, please do so as soon as possible.

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