Teacher Evaluation System (TES)

 

Cincinnati Public Schools, Teacher Evaluation System (TES) has been nationally recognized as a leading model for enhancing teacher professionalism and supporting higher student performance. The district continues to enhance the program, maintaining its rigor while strengthening professional development and increasing overall efficiency.

 

Cincinnati Public Schools developed an evaluation system designed to ensure a high quality teaching staff for every student and every school.

A lead teacher models effective teaching methods.

All teachers participate in a Comprehensive Evaluation at defined intervals - the first year as a new hire, the fourth year, then every five years after that point. The Comprehensive Evaluation consists of an orientation meeting to learn about the evaluation process, a readiness conference with the evaluator to share details about the teaching assignment, followed by at least four classroom observations.

 

An Annual Assessment, one classroom observation conducted by the teacher's administrator, occurs during those years a teacher is not scheduled for a Comprehensive Evaluation.

 

The Tool

 

The district's Teacher Evaluation System (TES) was developed based on the framework prescribed by Charlotte Danielson in her book "Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching." This framework divides skills and responsibilities into four domains: Planning and Preparing for Student Learning, Creating an Environment for Student Learning, Teaching for Student Learning, and Professionalism.

 

Good teaching is further defined within each domain by a set of standards. Sixteen standards describing quality teaching serve as the foundation of the Comprehensive Evaluation. These standards articulate the skills and responsibilities integral to good teaching and establish clear expectations for performance and professional development in the Cincinnati Public Schools.

 

Teaching performance for each standard is described by a rubric (scoring guide). These standards and rubrics also have been adapted for specialists in the field (librarians, counselors, social workers, school psychologists, etc.).

Help & Support

 

The district and the teachers' union recognized that just evaluating teachers was not enough. Instead it was important to improve the quality of teaching and help teachers refine their teaching skills. As a result, the Peer Assistance and Evaluation Program (PAEP) was developed to help new hires, as well as experienced teachers with instructional deficiencies.

 

In addition, it was recognized that many quality experienced teachers were leaving the profession. As a result, the Career-In-Teaching Program was developed to provide incentives to attract and retain quality teachers in the profession, to improve and encourage teachers' professional growth opportunities, and to give teachers broader roles and responsibilities that improve student achievement and provide better schools for children and teachers.

 

Peer Assistance and Evaluation Program (PAEP)

 

The Peer Assistance and Evaluation Program has two major roles. First, through its Apprentice Component, it assists teachers in their first year in the Cincinnati Public Schools by helping them refine their teaching skills and orienting them to the district, including its goals, curriculum and structure. Through this component, each teacher is evaluated and assisted by a consulting teacher.

 

The Peer Review Panel participates in a training session.

Second, through the Intervention Component, the program assists experienced teachers who exhibit serious instructional deficiencies. When a teacher's principal has concerns about his/her performance, or when a teacher has not met the expected performance standards, the teacher can be referred for intervention. A joint panel of teachers and administrators reviews the referrals and assigns consulting teachers to work with those teachers to improve their instructional skills and to improve the teachers' levels of performance. In cases where improvement does not occur, the panel may recommend a second year of intervention or the non-renewal of a teacher's contract.

 

Career-In-Teaching

 

The Career-In-Teaching program identifies five teaching levels, based on a teacher's evaluation scores. Teachers work toward achieving lead teacher status, which in turn can lead to broader roles and responsibilities, as well as a stipend.

 

Level One, ApprenticeAn apprentice is a teacher without previous teaching experience. This level prepares teachers to pursue a career in teaching.

 

Level Two, Novice
A novice is a teacher who has met licensure requirements and is working to develop the skills required for a career in teaching.

 

Level Three, Career
A career teacher has demonstrated the skills needed to have a career in teaching.

 

Level Four, Advanced
An advanced teacher is continuing to master the art of teaching, demonstrating a distinguished level of teaching.

 

Level Five, Accomplished
An accomplished teacher is a teacher who has demonstrated outstanding teaching.

 

Lead Teacher

A lead teacher helps another teacher improve her skills.

The primary and most important role of a lead teacher is to support quality instruction. In addition to receiving advanced and/or accomplished scores, a lead teacher must demonstrate leadership in his/her profession, effective communication skills, a consistent pattern of professional growth, cooperation and collaboration, and commitment to teaching as a career. Teachers may apply to be a lead teacher by going through a three-phase application process. A joint board/union panel grants lead teacher status. Once a teacher is certified as a lead teacher, he/she may apply for lead teacher positions throughout the district. Lead teachers serve at both the school and district level in various roles (consulting teachers, teacher evaluators, curriculum specialists, subject leaders, team leaders and program facilitators, etc.).