TEAM EVALUATIONS: WHAT EVERY EDUCATOR NEEDS TO KNOW AND DO

Overview:

The Tennessee Educator Accelerator Model (TEAM) evaluation is one of four approved teacher evaluation instruments approved by the Tennessee Department of Education. This instrument is composed of four observation sections:

1. Instructional Rubric

2. Planning Rubric

3. Environment Rubric

4. Professionalism Rubric All rubrics are available here.

Your final level of effectiveness (LOE) score is comprised of your observation scores, student growth data, and student achievement data. An educator’s final LOE score will fall on a scale of 1-5 with (1) indicating significantly below expectations, (2) indicating below expectations, (3) indicating at expectations, (4) indicating above expectations, and (5) indicating significantly above expectations.

LOE Effect on Career:

Educators, regardless of tenure status, with an LOE of (1) or (2) for two consecutive years are subject to a return to probationary status (if teacher is tenured and tenure was conferred after 2011) or termination for “ineffectiveness” under current Tennessee law (regardless of tenure status or when tenure was conferred).

Teachers who are not yet tenured must have received a score of (4) or (5) for two consecutive years at the end of the five-year probationary period to be eligible for tenure. If a teacher has not earned a (4) or (5) for two consecutive years, they remain in the probationary period until two consecutive years of qualifying LOEs occurs and then tenure is conferred.

General Suggestions:

Download and review TEA’s Making Your Evaluation Work for You.

Professionalism TEAM Evaluation Rubric: START COMPILING YOUR DATA NOW!

Professionalism scores are the final component of the TEAM evaluation process for the school year. Before the end-of-year conference with your evaluator, you should gather evidence to justify your self-scoring. Scores for your professionalism observation are based on your 7.5-hour contracted day, and educators should not be penalized for not participating in activities outside the contracted workday. If you choose to participate in activities beyond the 7.5-hour workday, you may use those as evidence of your self-score.

You should begin keeping track of your evidence early in the year or before the start of the school year rather than trying to remember what professional learning you may have completed the previous July. Note the work you have completed this year and record it on the professionalism rubric organizer. Click here to download an organizer to help gather evidence to justify your self-score. Also, collect 2-3 artifacts as evidence for each indicator. Your evaluator may ask you to submit your evidence before your end-of-year conference, so take the time to prepare now. To download a copy of the TEAM Professionalism Rubric, click here.

Guidelines from the Tennessee Department of Education:

TIMING:

Evaluators should not score the Professionalism domain until all testing is finished, ensuring all educators can remain focused on student preparation for state assessments.

SCORING:

The Professionalism domain should be scored by someone who regularly interacts with the educator. In most cases, this will be the principal or assistant principal. However, it may be appropriate for some educators for a supervisor to score this domain.

EVIDENCE FOR SCORING:

Below are suggestions of evidence that evaluators could consult when scoring Professionalism:

Indicator 1—Professional Growth and Learning:

Educator self-reflection observation forms or other evidence of self-reflection, active participation in post conferences, incorporating feedback into lessons in a timely fashion, evidence of growth across observations throughout the year.

Indicator 2—Use of Data:

Evidence of instructional decisions based on data from formative assessments, effective differentiation based on assessments, use of district, school, or grade level formative assessments to inform planning, evidence of adjustments in planning based on assessments.

Indicator 3—School and Community Involvement:

Partnerships with community organizations and actors, productive member of PLCs and grade-level teams, visibility during class transitions.

Indicator 4—Leadership:

Evidence of planning with grade and subject peers, membership on leadership teams, mentorship of inexperienced or struggling teachers, effective planning for in-service days, and faculty meetings.

The Summative Conference

Summative conferences should incorporate the main components of a coaching conversation to ensure that it is productive.

Required Components of a Summative Conference:

· Discuss professionalism scores.

· Share final qualitative (observation) data scores.

· Share final 15% quantitative data (if a measure is available).

· Explain when and how the overall score will be calculated.

Other Components:

· Commend places of progress.

· Focus on the places in need of continued refinement.

Saving Time:

· Ensure teachers view their data before the meeting.

· Incorporate this meeting with the existing end of year wrap-up meetings or beginning of year initial coaching conversations.

· Note that there is no required form for the summative conference. Any documentation required is at the district’s discretion.

Coaching Conversations:

· Begin the coaching conversation by communicating the purpose and goals to help reduce teacher anxiety.

· Emphasize the need for teacher growth and improvement through changing and refining strategies instead of stating the need to “bring up scores from this year.”

· Use formative and summative data from the previous year to discuss patterns in teaching practices related to student growth.

· Provide specific strategies based on your analysis of the teacher’s areas for growth, including timelines for regular check-ins.

Source: https://team-tn.org/teacher-evaluation/

Evaluation Grievances:

Educators may only grieve an observation or evaluation (observations + student growth data + student achievement data) for two reasons:

1. Procedural violations

2. Data inaccuracy

PROCEDURAL VIOLATIONS

A procedural violation occurs when the procedures for conducting observations are not followed. An example might be that you were observed and have not yet had a post-conference before having another formal observation.

Educators should familiarize themselves with the MNPS Evaluation Handbook. For more information about the TEAM Evaluation process in MNPS, click here to visit the MNPS TEAM Evaluation SharePoint. You must sign in with your MNPS credentials to access the site.

Data Inaccuracy

A data inaccuracy occurs when the wrong data is used to calculate your level of effectiveness (LOE) scores. This might occur when the wrong students are claimed, the wrong achievement measure is used, etc. It is important that educators keep accurate records to document their students, the chosen achievement measure, etc.

FILING A GRIEVANCE

If you believe that there has been a procedural violation or data inaccuracy that has significantly impacted your evaluation, you should contact your UniServ Director for assistance in filing a grievance.

Here are a few points to note:

1. Grievances must be filed within 15 calendar days of discovering the procedural or data violation.

2. You cannot add information or documentation to a grievance after it is filed (this is one reason to work with your UniServ Director to ensure you have a strong, complete grievance).

3. Your grief must include “relief sought” that is specific to your grievance. For example, if your grievance is due to a procedural violation, you can ask to have an observation expunged from your TNCompass and a new evaluator to conduct another observation to replace the one expunged. If your grievance is due to a data inaccuracy, you can ask to have your LOE recalculated using the correct data. You cannot ask for disciplinary action against another employee.