Professional Learning Network for Supporting Evaluator Capacity

In 2014-15 DESE brought together eight districts to form a Professional Learning Network (PLN) for Supporting Evaluator Capacity. These PLN districts engaged in a deep partnership with each other and DESE to develop and/or refine strategies related to supporting the capacity of their evaluators.

Berkshire Hills Regional School District

• Creating a Peer Observation Process to Support Educator Growth.
  This narrative describes the initiative that BHRSD undertook as part of the PLN.

Artifacts:

• Norms for Collaboration and Peer Observation.
  This contains the Norms of Collaboration that inspired Berkshire Hills to create their own Norms for Peer Observation, which is also included.

• Peer Observation Process.
  This document summarizes the peer observation process developed by BHRSD.

• Observation Log.
  This form is used for Peer Observations for BHRSD. It includes four quadrants to fill out.

• Evidence Form Examples.
  These are examples of forms used to collect evidence on standards, indicators, and elements.

Erving School Union 28

• Using Technology to Improve the Process.
  This narrative describes the initiative that Union 28 undertook as part of the PLN.

Artifacts:

• Using Technology to Improve the Process

Greater Lawrence Technical School

• Joint Labor Management Task Force Initiative.
  This narrative describes the initiative that GLTS undertook as part of the PLN.

Artifacts:

• Flow Chart of the Educator Evaluation Process.
  This schematic is a flow chart on the educator evaluation process at GLTS. It was designed by their Evaluation Oversight Committee.

• Examples of Effective Practice.
  This document covers specific examples of effective practice for the school's six focus areas under the four Standards of Effective Practice.

• Integrating Evaluation and Curriculum PPT.
  This presentation summarizes the work of GLTS on implementing the new educator evaluation system within their school system and how they are using teams to address issues.

Hadley Public Schools

• Moving Toward Meaningful Evaluation.
  This narrative describes the initiative that Hadley undertook as part of the PLN.

Artifacts:

• Educator Evaluation Teacher Feedback Survey.
  This survey was distributed to teachers at the beginning of the school year to assess what types of concerns teachers had with the implementation of the educator evaluation system.

• Teacher Evaluation Handbook — Draft
  The purpose of this document is to guide Hadley Public School educators through the evaluation process while providing a framework for thinking about evaluation.

Marblehead Community Charter School

• Making Educator Evaluation Meaningful and Manageable.
  This narrative describes the initiative that MCCS undertook as part of the PLN.

Artifacts:

• Informal Observation Form.
  This is an Informal Observation Form used in Marblehead Community Charter Public School.

• Observation, Claim, and Evidence Form.
  This is a brief form used to list claims that observers make and corresponding evidence. This form also allows for recommendations.

• Observation, Claim, and Evidence Example.
  This is a filled-out version of the form, which includes examples of claims, evidence, and recommendations.

Monson Public Schools

• Connecting Educator Evaluation with Professional Development.
  This narrative describes the initiative that Monson undertook as part of the PLN.

Artifacts:

• Educator Evaluation Training Needs Assessment Results.
  This document captures the results from a needs assessment related to educator evaluation training conducted at the beginning of the '14-'15 school year.

• "March Madness" Professional Development Training Slides.
  This presentation walks through the goals of the "March Madness" professional development program on educator evaluation.

• "March Madness" Professional Development Tools.
  This document includes the participant handouts and training schedules Monson used for their "March Madness" Professional Development on Educator Evaluation. It includes an Agenda, Facilitators' Schedule, Emerging Questions, Goal Session Handouts, and a Calendar of Events.

• March Madness Evaluation Results.
  This document captures the questions and responses given after the March Madness PD sessions were implemented.

• Case Studies on Standards and Indicators.
  This document lists case study examples developed by Monson staff on Standards I, II, and III. This was used during a "March Madness" Professional Development session.

Northbridge Public Schools

• Streamlining the Educator Evaluation Process.
  This narrative describes the initiative that Northbridge undertook as part of the PLN.

Artifacts:

• Northbridge Norms.
  This document lists the new Northbridge Norms, which majorly impacted the educator evaluation process of observations and evidence collection in Northbridge.

• Revised Feedback Form.
  This is the feedback form Northbridge developed to streamline the observation process and make it more meaningful for educators and evaluators.

• Evolution of the Northbridge Feedback Forms.
  This document shows what the original teacher observation and walk-through form looked like. Then, it shows how the new Northbridge Norms influenced the forms to streamline the process.

• Professional Practice and Student Learning Goal Setting Templates .
  These templates assist educators in developing S.M.A.R.T. goals.

• Northbridge Smart Goal Forms.
  This document shows how the Smart Goal Forms evolved into a shorter, more relevant Form to capture Student Learning and Professional Practice goals. It also includes goal writing template examples.

• Example Evidence List.
  This list provides examples of evidence for the four Standards of Effective Teaching Practice.

• Informal Classroom Visit Form.
  This form is aligned to the Northbridge Norms and allows evaluators to collect trend data over time.

• Northbridge Trend Data from Informal Classroom Visits.
  This document shares Northbridge's new approach to walk-throughs and how the curriculum office uses this data to inform how Leadership will move forward.

Weymouth Public Schools

• Creating "Quick Look" Tools and Resources for Educators.
  This narrative describes the initiative that Weymouth undertook as part of the PLN.

Artifacts:

• Tree of Growth.
  This diagram communicates the framework, purpose, and philosophy that drive Weymouth's evaluation system.

• Educator Evaluation Timeline Flowchart.
  This flowchart communicates the key dates and milestones associated with the evaluation cycle.

• Educator Evaluation Evidence Suggestions.
  This resource provides suggested evidence associated with targeted elements from the model teacher performance rubric.

Education Delivery Institute

• EDI Assessment Framework.
  This document contains EDI's Assessment Framework, which is a set of common criteria for measuring the progress of any strategy or initiative. The criteria are centered on one crucial question: What is the likelihood of delivery?

• EDI Assessment Framework Guide.
  This document explains the purpose of EDI's Assessment Framework, includes a sample output of the framework, and provides a detailed exercise guide to carry out the process.

Cross-Site Visit Toolbox

As part of the Professional Learning Network for Supporting Evaluator Capacity, PLN districts were paired up and conducted cross-site visits - the experience was considered one of the most valuable and dynamic aspects of the PLN experience as an opportunity to both share and receive feedback on evaluation practices and systems. The tools below can be adapted by pairs of districts interested in facilitating cross-site visits of their own.

• Considerations for Host Districts

• Overview of Forms and Systems

• Principal Interview Questions

• Teacher Interview Questions

• Teacher Focus Group Questions

Last Updated: August 5, 2015