On Tuesday, February 28, after collecting public comment since November, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted 9-1 to amend the existing educator evaluation regulations.
The most significant change in the regulations is the elimination of a separate student impact rating. Under the amended regulations, evaluators do not have to make a separate judgment about an educator’s impact on student learning. Instead, student learning is embedded as an indicator within one of the evaluation framework’s four standards.
So, what does this mean for teachers? First, the categories of evidence have not changed. Educators and evaluators will continue to use multiple sources to paint a full picture of educator effectiveness. Second, the process should feel more streamlined. Under the former model, looking at teacher practice and teacher's impact on student learning happened separately because of the two-rating structure. Now, conversations about practice and impact can happen at the same time, reinforcing the connections between teacher actions and student outcomes.
Finally, the amended regulations focus on an overall evaluation in which professionals apply their judgment to a wide array of evidence to provide meaningful feedback and determine performance ratings. There are no formulas in the Massachusetts framework and no efforts to reduce the complexity of teaching to a number.
The Department is committed to supporting districts in implementing evaluation systems that help educators improve their practice through ongoing reflection and regular feedback.
If you have questions about educator evaluation, the amendments, or implementation, email edeval@doe.mass.edu. |
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