April 2014
The Quality Framework for Teacher & Leader Evaluation Systems
This is a critical moment of opportunity in education reform. Nationally, states and districts are moving to implement bold, broad, and fast-paced change grounded in the belief that education systems must ensure that all students graduate with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in college, careers, and citizenship. Achieving this ambitious goal will require significant shifts in teaching and learning, and in all levels of policy. For this reason, a primary focus of reform must be to promote great teaching and leading such that all students have access to effective educators. Quality systems of educator evaluation are an essential part of this strategy. If implemented well, new systems of evaluation can provide critical information to district and school leaders so they can better direct resources to improve teaching and learning and inform decision making. They can empower teachers to hone their practice through objective feedback. Ultimately, new evaluation data can drive better policy and investment decisions at the most wide ranging levels, including teacher preparation, career pathways, and assessment of professional development. Informed by the latest research, the experience of early adopters, and input from leading education groups, EducationCounsel developed this framework to help state leaders prioritize, plan, and implement a quality teacher evaluation system that supports teaching for college and career readiness.