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The purpose of Teacher Development and Evaluation (TD&E) is for educators to set professional goals, collaborate to refine professional practices, and reflect on their work to ensure a positive impact on student learning. Educators participate in a three-year evaluation cycle with multiple opportunities for reflection, feedback and professional development.
Saint Paul Public Schools and Saint Paul Federation of Educators collaborated to create a local plan for TD&E to promote educator development and student learning. An effective TD&E system was created to meet Minnesota Statute 122A.41 and includes five components which all culminate in a Summative Evaluation. All educators under the SPFE bargaining contract participate in TD&E.
- Individualized Growth and Development Plan (IGDP)
- Student Achievement (PLC)
- Student Engagement
- Peer Collaboration
- Educator Practice
A TD&E Oversight Committee was established to assist in determining modifications for the TD&E plan. At least one of the members must be a Saint Paul Federation of Educators (SPFE) officer. The committee will be co-chaired by one SPFE member and one administrator. The TD&E supervisor and TOSA will assist in facilitating meetings but are not voting members.
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The Individualized Growth and Development Plan (IGPD) provides an opportunity for educators to choose an area of growth to strengthen their professional practice in order to impact student achievement.
Educators utilize the evaluation tool that matches their job type to determine a goal at the beginning of each school year and reflect upon their goal progress and strategies two times throughout the school year. Goals and reflections are recorded on the Perform side of PowerSchool and are shared with the school/department administrative team for ongoing review and communication.
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Saint Paul Federation of Teachers and Saint Paul Public Schools believes in ongoing reflective practice to positively impact student achievement. Our TD&E model uses student achievement measured through assessments analyzed in our professional learning communities (PLCs).
“A Professional Learning Community is educators committed to working collaboratively in ongoing processes of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students they serve. PLCs operate under the assumption that the key to improved learning for students is continuous, job-embedded learning for educators.” —Adapted from Learning by Doing by Dufour, Dufour, Eaker, & Many (2010)
Educators reflect two times each school year regarding student achievement and their work in PLCs. Reflections are shared with the school/department administrative team for ongoing communication and review.
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Student engagement surveys provide an opportunity for learners to express their perspectives on their learning experience. Learner responses contribute to educators’ analysis of effective practices.
Educators will select a learner group in which to conduct an engagement survey in the fall of each school year. Educators will develop surveys in their PLCs to ensure that the surveys are age-appropriate and are applicable for the learning content. Surveys provide an opportunity for learners to provide feedback about their engagement. The Student Engagement component of TD&E involves surveys, PLC discussions around results, and reflections completed by the educator. Reflections are shared with the school/department administrative team for ongoing communication and review. Engagement is also evaluated during the performance review conducted by administration through the Standards of Effective Teaching (SET) or applicable evaluation tool.
The five areas measured by the Student Engagement Survey are Active, Safe, Respected, Challenged, and Supported.
Learners who are engaged are:
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active and have the opportunity and show willingness, need, and desire to be involved in their learning.
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safe and comfortable taking risks and do not feel threatened.
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respected and valued as individuals.
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challenged and feel adults and peers have high academic and behavioral expectations for themselves and each other.
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supported and pursue and receive equitable assistance.
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The purpose of Peer Collaboration is to facilitate professional reflection and growth of a targeted area selected by the educator. Peer Collaboration provides an opportunity for an educator to connect with a trusted colleague and have a deep conversation regarding data that was collected in the educational setting. Peer Collaboration is not an evaluation of a peer, but instead provides a supportive environment where educational practices can be reviewed. The process is growth focused. The ultimate goal through this process is for the educator to develop next steps for their professional growth so that all learners receive a premier education. The Peer Collaboration experience will occur once during each three-year summative review cycle for tenured staff.
Peer Collaboration consists of four parts:
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Pre-conference
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Observation with targeted data collection
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Post-conference
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Reflection completed by the educator
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Educator practices impact student outcomes and are defined by standard feedback/evaluation tools. Performance evaluations, such as the Standards of Effective Teaching (SET), are used in SPPS to provide feedback about an educator’s practice. Evaluations are summative and not based on a single classroom/job observation, but instead on multiple instructional and professional experiences.
Working in the field of education is a complex career. Feedback/evaluation tools are multi-faceted to encompass the depth of practices that contribute to the important task of educating children. These tools are not only used in the time of evaluation but are an important document in goal setting, coaching, feedback, and professional growth practices.
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The summative evaluation occurs once every three years for a tenured educator. The evaluation is based on multiple instructional and professional experiences and is not based on a single classroom/job observation. The summative evaluation brings together all components of TD&E:
- Individualized Growth and Develop Plans
- Student Achievement
- Student Engagement
- Educator Practice
- Peer Collaboration
During the year of the summative evaluation the educator will participate in the following with an administrator:
- Pre-observation conference
- Self-assessment
- Announced observation
- Post-observation conference
