Teacher Evaluation: An Amazing Opportunity for Data Driven Professional Development

Laurie King

With high quality evaluation instruments, aligned support materials and effective feedback, evaluations can be the best professional learning an educator receives. The Maricopa County Education Service Agency (MCESA) is collaborating with 11 local school districts to implement Educator Goal Plans (EGPs), tied to online and face-to-face resources that provide data-driven differentiated support to educators. 

In an article in American Educator magazine, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan wrote, “I believe that we have a broken system – a system of training, induction, evaluation, professional development and promotion that is an artifact from an earlier era.” He also wrote, “…teachers should be treated as professionals: they should have the support, tools and opportunities to perform at their full potential by having timely and accurate data about their students to inform instruction; they should have time to consult and collaborate with their peers; and they should be evaluated, compensated and advanced based in part on student learning.”

Laurie King, director of Learning and Communication Systems for MCESA, shared information on their educator goal plan. Educators participate in an individualized EGP system of support that is aligned to the school’s year-long professional development plan, and to specific individual needs derived from teacher evaluation data; and building-level administrators collaborate with teachers to develop professional development action plans.

Using a robust data system, educators are able to understand how their professional effectiveness ratings are calculated, and understand the necessary steps to improve. It’s a win-win for educators and students!

Linda Jeffries
Alhambra Elementary School District