ASBA 54th Annual Conference – New Teacher and Principal Evaluation Framework

Maricopa County Education Service Agency presented an exciting session about Teacher and Principal Evaluations.  In participation with Alhambra ESD, Gila Bend USD, Isaac ESD, Nadaburg USD, Phoenix Union HSD, and Tolleson ES, new framework for evaluating Teacher and Principals was under the title REIL (Rewarding Excellence in Instruction and Leadership).  Three over-arching goals and nine aligned objective support implementation of the REIL initiative. 

1.   Ensure students graduate college and career ready by increasing student achievement and growth in all content areas.
2.  Enhance careers for effective teachers and principals by implementing a fiscally sustainable Performance-Based Compensation System.
3. Develop talent in teaching and leading through a sustainable, comprehensive program of performance-based evaluation and support.

The REIL Evaluation System is a comprehensive Performance-Based Management System

•     Objective, Evidence-based Rubric
•       Five Teacher and Principal Observations Per Year
•       Incorporate Multiple Measure Including Student Academic Growth
•       Inter-rater Reliability

REIL Evaluator Training consists of Qualified and Certified Training.  The Qualified training is five days in workshop setting using validated modules for training. Participants practice evaluating after they watch videotaped lessons, review artifacts of lesson plans, grade books and pre-and post-conference interview to ensure inter-rater reliability.  After the Qualified Training, the participant is ready for Certified Training where they spend three to five day with a REIL Field Specialist and other Qualified Evaluators in a job embedded environment.

There are many components of the program.  I am impressed with the collaborative nature during development of this framework and thrilled to see the incorporation of Performance-based Compensation.  I immediately found Superintendent Uterhardt and brought him back to the room where this presentation took place and introduced him to the Kristine Morris, Chief Deputy Superintendent of Marcopa County.  This would be a good program for our district to consider.