Elevate Not Evaluate
At the end of my second year of teaching, I received a perfect evaluation score. How? I was far from exemplary! While highly engaging, my instruction was shallow. My assessments were infrequent and not aligned to the standards. And I did not know how to differentiate. I made everything so incredibly easy and simple so that all students could feel successful and as a result, I was not providing an academically challenging environment. But I did have a lot of potential as a novice educator. During my student teaching, my professor said I was a “natural.” My first year in the classroom at a high-needs school, I was attempting arts-integrated lessons, writing and performing educational raps, and forming relationships with the most challenging students in the building. The following year, all of my general education students passed the social studies portion of the state assessment, something that had never happened before at my school. I certainly grew a lot in my early years as an educator and was proud of what I accomplished, but by no means was I perfect.
After this record-breaking year, I quickly became a teacher leader in my building. I was made department chair, one of the 7th-grade team leads, and tasked with providing professional development for the entire faculty. My administrators really liked me and put me in positions to excel professionally. But the more I learned, the more aware I became of ineffective practices we were being told to implement. I started to speak up against the ridiculous workload and mandates. So I fell out of favor with the building leadership and my evaluation took a big hit. Even though I was more knowledgeable, competent, and effective in year six of my career, I received scores that reflected my first year in the classroom. It was obvious revenge for not toeing the line.
There is no shortage of teacher evaluation horror stories. As a department chair, I worked with a very ineffective teacher and no matter how much I supported this person and documented my efforts, my principal still gave her adequate ratings in the hopes that she would rise to the level of expectation. Spoiler alert: She never rose to the level of expectation and remained woefully unfit to teach children. I’ve seen earnest teachers placed on punitive action plans at the midpoint of the school year even though they were never told what they were doing wrong and how they could improve. I’ve heard of administrators who, discouraged from giving out uniformly high ratings, tend to low-ball deserving teachers. Some administrators knock out teacher evaluations in whole groups, prioritizing efficiency over effectiveness. Instead of having reflective one-on-one conversations with each teacher about their “glows and grows” for the year, administrators meet with entire departments or grade levels and show them what to click through and sign off in order to finalize the evaluation process.
So what are evaluations meant to do? Hold teachers accountable? Threaten, intimidate, demoralize? Inflate confidence and avoid crucial conversations? Or grow professionals in their practice?
Toward a Better System
I live and work in Georgia. In June 2022, our Department of Education (GaDOE) commissioned a task force of teachers across the state to examine teacher burnout, culminating in the release of the Teacher Burnout Task Force Report. Teachers discussed factors contributing to teacher burnout, along with consequences for students, the teaching profession, teacher preparation, and the day-to-day operation of schools. The task force identified five key themes: assessment, preserving and protecting time, pressures and unrealistic expectations, teacher voice and professional growth, and mental health and wellness. Additionally, the task force members suggested specific strategies and solutions for directly addressing those themes. These findings and recommended policy actions were compiled into a 35-page report.
Under “teacher voice and professional growth,” the task force suggested that state, local school districts, and school leaders transform the teacher evaluation system from a punitive tool to a professional growth tool that helps them move from beginning teachers to teacher leaders. The report also offered questions to consider in order to transform the current evaluation system:
Are observations and evaluations approached with a punitive, “gotcha” mindset or with a growth mindset focused on helping teachers succeed to the benefit of their students?
How are administrators supported through training to approach observations and evaluations from an asset-based (strength-based) perspective rather than a deficit-based perspective?
How are administrators trained to coach teachers such that they are providing effective, actionable, constructive feedback?
How are observations and evaluations being used to inform and carry out the goals within teachers’ personalized professional growth plans in partnership with teachers? How are administrators offering resources and mentorships in support of those goals?
Does the manner in which Teacher Keys Effectiveness System (or TKES, the current evaluation system in Georgia] is implemented contribute to positive school culture and student success?
How can guidance from the state provide for and ensure a more universally consistent scoring system?
So in response to this recommendation, GaDOE began developing the Georgia Leadership and Educator Acceleration and Development System (GaLEADS), a new teacher evaluation pilot system that emphasizes teacher growth and elevates the educational profession. According to the pilot overview, GaLEADS is designed to be a teacher evaluation system that values and elevates educators, instead of devaluing them—with the ultimate goal of supporting student success. Fortunately, my school was selected to implement the pilot this year. And as the 2024 Georgia Teacher of the Year Runner-Up, I serve on my State Superintendent’s Teacher Advisory Committee and get to inform the development of GaLEADS. In this piece, I want to provide an overview of my knowledge and experience with this evaluation system so far.
Promising Practices
GaLEADS consists of three components to provide a comprehensive approach to continuous instructional improvement resulting in positive learning outcomes for students: (1) targeted performance standards, (2) indicators of student growth, achievement, and development, and (3) professional growth and advancement.
GaLEADS Component #1: Targeted Performance Standards. Teachers are observed on targeted performance standards that are personalized to their level of experience. Known as “The ELEVATE Model,” a novice teacher in their first year of service receives three feedback cycles on professional knowledge, instructional planning, and positive learning environment. Induction teachers with 2-3 years of service receive two feedback cycles on positive learning environment, instructional strategies, and assessment strategies. Teachers with four or more years of service receive 1 feedback cycle on assessment uses, differentiated instruction, and academically challenge. All teachers are held to standards of professionalism and communication. These standards serve as the foundation upon which each of the other eight standards are built. Adherence to these standards is evident both inside and outside the classroom, and feedback may be shared at any time during the year to recognize excellence or provide support to teachers.
Under GaLEADS, teachers receive feedback cycles prior to a formal administrative observation. There are a variety of observation types such as administrative, co-observer, consultant, or combination that can be used in these feedback cycles. In addition to principals and assistant principals, this new system can employ instructional coaches, department leads, and district curriculum specialists to conduct observations. Observers look for the specific teacher and student performance indicators that correspond with the teachers’ years of service and these indicators are either marked met, not met, or not scored. There are also specific, actionable feedback options listed on the observation form if teachers need support in a targeted performance standard. There are no numeric ratings on the GaLEADS observation documents. The observer has to debrief with the teacher within five days of an observation and the state provides a debrief protocol in the GaLEADS implementation guide. With this timeline, teachers receive one-on-one feedback relatively quickly and are coached on what can be done tomorrow to improve their practice. To be eligible to lead the observation, analysis, and feedback cycle, all observers had to participate in a GaDOE-led credentialing course and pass the credentialing evaluation at the start of the year.
GaLEADS Component #2: Indicators of Student Growth, Achievement, and Development. Districts use customized indicators to reflect student growth and achievement in specific content areas, whole school accomplishments, and student development in non-academic areas. This helps ensure the GaLEADS evaluation metrics are better aligned to local needs.
GaLEADS Component #3: Professional Growth and Advancement. Supporting teachers as they grow in experience and expertise is essential to the success of students and schools. And this support varies from teacher to teacher based on their level of need. There are accomplished teachers who serve as a model in professionalism, exhibit teacher leadership, are committed to continuous improvement, and go above and beyond to contribute to the teaching profession. Then there are those who join the teaching profession through alternative certification means and have little if any content area and pedagogical knowledge. And there’s everything in between. Under GaLEADS, locally developed frameworks support teacher induction experiences, competency-based professional learning experiences, and teacher leadership or career advancement pathways.
At the start of the year, each teacher completed a Professional Growth and Advancement Plan aligned to GaLEADS targeted teacher performance standards and/or the district or school improvement plan. These plans could either be self-directed (induction and professional teachers) or directed in order to offer strategic support under the guidance of school leadership (novice and administrator assigned). Teachers select the types of professional learning they want to complete, describe their professional accomplishments and teacher leadership roles (optional), and craft a “contribution to student success” goal. To support teachers in their self-directed or directed Professional Growth and Advancement Plan, GaDOE offers competency-based badges organized by teacher type (novice, induction and professional) and their associated targeted teacher performance standards. Teachers work on these badges at their own pace, produce artifacts from their teaching practice (i.e. lesson plans, classroom floor plans, examples of feedback to students, etc.), and submit this evidence to the state for review. The novice teachers at my school have really enjoyed the badge series and there has been a noticeable improvement in their teaching practice since completing the badge requirements.
Teachers who want to remain in the classroom have few opportunities for advancement within the profession. Under GaLEADS, exceptional teachers and teacher leaders who have four or more years teaching experience, complete the Leadership Pathway badge series, and are recommended by the principal are encouraged to apply for the Accomplished Teacher Designation. If awarded, teachers hold this prestigious designation awarded for five years, have opportunities to serve in advisory capacity at the state and local levels, and can receive meaningful leadership experiences to promote advancement in the education profession. Accomplished Teacher Designation also results in reduced observations in GaLEADS to allow for time to mentor, coach, and provide professional learning to others.
Things to Consider
The Georgia Leadership and Educator Acceleration and Development System (GaLEADS) is a vast improvement to the teacher evaluation system we currently use in my state. The new pilot uses targeted performance standards tailored to a teacher’s experience. It allows districts and schools to customize indicators of student growth, achievement, and development that reflect goals and initiatives unique to their community. And with personalized opportunities for professional growth and advancement, teachers can work on the skills they need, pursue teacher leadership roles, and receive recognition for their contributions to the profession. GaLEADS serves as more of a flexible coaching framework to grow teachers rather than a rigid process used to rate teachers’ performance and effectiveness.
But this new system is not without its flaws.
The components that make up teacher evaluation systems in Georgia are required by law. Teacher observations account for 50 percent of the evaluation. Growth and achievement data as measured by the annual state test are weighted at 30 percent and apply to all teachers in the building. And professional growth counts for the last 20 percent. By the end of the school year, Georgia teachers are legally required to receive a numeric Teacher Effectiveness Measure (TEM score). So even though GaLEADS does not have quantitative observations, teachers’ performance will still be tied to a number. How will this TEM score be determined? The state is still working it out.
Instead of expecting all teachers of various experience levels to meet the same targeted performance standards, GaLEADS differentiates the standards based on years of service. Ostensibly, this seems fair and appropriate. But what about “professional” level teachers (4+ years) who are struggling or downright ineffective? Can they reasonably be expected to meet professional-level performance indicators? What about those who move to a new content area, grade level, or school with a different culture and climate? These teachers are essentially novice teachers who need support in professional knowledge, instructional planning, and positive learning environment. Teachers do not fit in neat little categories and the “ELEVATE” model does not account for teacher variability.
There are different observation models under GaLEADS: administrative, co-observer, consultant, or a combination. With the latter three options, administrators need more hands on deck to complete the required number of observations. If instructional coaches, department chairs, and curriculum specialists are utilized, teachers will really benefit. But more observers also increases the likelihood of inconsistencies. During the credentialing course, observers completed several rounds of calibration scenarios, but never we were never 100% aligned. What constitutes met, not met, or not scored was a matter of interpretation. Speaking of these descriptors, much discussion was dedicated to the term “not met” and how teachers would feel if they received this rating on a performance standard. Would it demoralize them or would they see it was an opportunity to grow?
Within five days of an observation, the observer and teacher are required to meet for a debrief session. If the teacher was given numerous “not mets,” what would that debrief session be like? Would the teacher be willing to accept the feedback and action steps? Another consideration is the five day window for debrief. Obviously, timely feedback is best. But is five days or less feasible?
My final concern of GaLEADS (for now) is the accomplished teacher designation. While some teachers may feel honored to be recognized and receive teacher leader roles and perks, others will likely see this as a title with more work and responsibilities but no additional compensation.
Conclusion
Being a part of the Georgia Leadership and Educator Acceleration and Development System (GaLEADS) pilot has been very enlightening. My school and district have received lots of support through this process—stipends, virtual and face-to-face training sessions, an assigned regional support specialist, a weekly newsletter called “Leads List,” a Padlet full of resources and toolkits, and multiple opportunities to provide feedback. As an instructional coach under the co-observer model, I have the privilege of facilitating observation, analysis, and feedback cycles with the teachers in my building. And as a member of the State Superintendent’s Teacher Advisory Committee, I get to see what goes into crafting a new evaluation system and am invited to give input to make it better. Ultimately—and unfortunately—the reforms recommended in the Teacher Burnout Report and implemented under the GaLEADS “ELEVATE Model” are still bound by the confines of numbers, data points, and test scores.
Vanessa Ellis currently works as an 8th grade social studies teacher at Veterans Memorial Middle School in Columbus, Georgia. She is the 2022-2023 Muscogee County School District Teacher of the Year. She enjoys creating educational songs based on popular hits and finding other ways to make learning fun and exciting. You can get a glimpse into her classroom on Instagram and Twitter. She currently resides in Midland, Georgia, with her husband (who is also a teacher) and their three children.