Barnstable Schools Launches New Educator Evaluation

In March, 2010 the Commissioner of Education, Mitchell Chester appointed a 41 member Task Force to develop recommendations for a new educator evaluation framework.  

This Task Force was comprised of educators, business leaders, higher education representatives, and representatives from MASS, MASC, MTA, and NFT. Meetings were conducted at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education over a period of approximately ten months.   

The Task Force presented their final recommendations to the Commissioner in April 2011. As a member representing MASS, I had the opportunity to be part of this valuable process in formulating new guidelines for educator evaluation.  

During the months of April and May, the Commissioner reviewed the Task Force recommendations and then put forth his final recommendations to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.  

The Board of Education adopted a new set of educator evaluation regulations at their June 28, 2011 meeting. Districts receiving Race to The Top federal funding will be expected to implement these new regulations beginning in September 2012 and all remaining districts will be expected to implement these regulations in September 2013. 

This new educator evaluation framework will represent a significant change in how we evaluate our practice of teaching and learning. Rather than having evaluation “done” to the educator, evaluation will now be conducted “with” the educator.  

It begins with the educator reflecting upon his/her own practice. Educators will judge their own practice on four standards and several indicators and will use multiple measures of student learning, artifacts of their practice, and other relevant evidence to validate their practice. In addition, educators will be expected to develop a Professional Practice Goal and a Student Learning Goal to assess their practice. 

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will release a model evaluation framework on Jan. 10, 2012.  School districts may adopt, adapt, or revise this model and must bargain this new educator evaluation framework with their local unions. 

The Barnstable School District has already established a working committee comprised of teachers to develop multiple ways of how they assess student progress. This committee will make recommendations to a Joint Labor Management Committee who will ultimately negotiate these new recommendations.   

This is truly an exciting time in education and we must continually look for new ways to assess our practice in a reflective and transparent manner. This will require time, collaboration and a new way of thinking. I view this as an opportunity rather than as a challenge as we can all grow and learn new ways to improve our practice of teaching and learning.