Teacher Performance Appraisal
Instrument-Revised (TPAI-R)
Supplemental Training Materials
The following materials are made available by the School
Personnel Support Section, in the Division of School Business
at the NC Department of Public Instruction.
Materials was created or gleaned from research by the
Professional Personnel Evaluation Ad Hoc Committee which
met several times beginning in the winter of 1997 and
concluding in the winter of 1998. Additional materials were
developed by DPI staff during 2000-2001.
Various data sources were used and information was compiled
into these lists and forms. Where specific source information is
available, it is included with the form.
Evaluation Perceptions
Throughout our educational and professional careers, we have been subjected to
evaluations. This is an experience every one of us shares. Evaluations come in many sizes
and descriptions—job performance reviews, admission tests for college, interview questions,
examinations for various licenses, etc.
To build a foundation from which we can work, please answer the following as honestly as
possible.
1. COMPLETE THIS SENTENCE:
When I think of someone coming to evaluate me on my job, I….
2. What are some characteristics or skills that you expect from someone who is going to
evaluate you? (List at least 3)
3. What is the real purpose for evaluations? Why are personnel evaluated?
4. COMPLETE THIS SENTENCE:
If I had my way, evaluations would….
Gary Jarrett, Section Chief
School Personnel Support, NC DPI
2000-2001
Purposes for Evaluation
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Identify acceptable level of competency
Improve performance/professional growth
Validate strong performance
Licensure
Identify areas needing improvement
Document problems leading to dismissal
Accurately reflect performance
Self assessment
Criteria for Teacher Evaluation
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Knowledge of Content Area
Knowledge of Delivery Methods
Understanding the Learning Process
Understanding of Student Needs
Ability to Demonstrate Evidence of Student Growth
Curriculum Alignment
Ability to Demonstrate Understanding and Use of Standard Course of
Study in Instruction and Assessment
Ability to Disaggregate & Use Student Achievement Data in Planning
Instruction
Classroom Management
Professional Growth/Continuous Improvement
Ability to use Technology as a Tool in the Classroom
Communication with Stakeholders Inside and Outside the School Setting
Stages of Teacher Development
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Novice Stage
– characterized by survival and discovery
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Advanced Beginner Stage
– characterized by experimentation and consolidation
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Competent Stage
– characterized by mastery and stabilization
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Proficient Stage
– characterized by analysis and deliberation
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Expert Stage
– characterized by fluidity and flexibility
Top Problems of New Teachers
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Classroom discipline
 Motivating students
 Dealing with individual differences
 Assessing students’ work
 Relations with parents
 Organization of classwork
 Insufficient materials and supplies
 Dealing with problems of individual students
Novice Teacher Needs
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Quality preparation programs which incorporate a variety of
field experiences
Reasonable assignments in school contexts which support and
facilitate teacher growth
Clearly communicated expectations about what constitutes
quality teaching
Systematic induction support which includes a variety of
components, especially the on-going support of a wellprepared mentor who uses effective mentoring approaches
Teacher assessment procedures and measures that are
consistent with the expectations of the school
Rater Errors
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SIMILAR TO ME: tending to rate people up if they are similar to you (have same values,
interests, likes), or rating them down if they are not similar to you.
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POSITIVE LENIENCY: Rating higher than a person deserves. “I give high ratings. It makes
them feel good.”
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NEGATIVE LENIENCY: Being reluctant to assign high ratings to individuals. Rating people
lower than they deserve. “Nobody’s perfect.”
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HALO EFFECT: Being unduly influenced by a single favorable or unfavorable trait, which
colors the judgment of the individual’s other traits. Taking another person’s positive or
negative evaluation prior to the interview that impacts how you rate the employee.
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RECENCY EFFECT: Rating someone down or up based on a recent event. Ignoring the
performance of the entire period. “What have you done for me lately?”
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STEREOTYPING: Generalizing across a class. Not recognizing individual difference.
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CONTRAST EFFECT: Making comparisons. Evaluating employee relative to the person last
evaluated.
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FIRST IMPRESSION: Forming an initial positive or negative judgment and then ignoring or
distorting subsequent information to support the initial impression.
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CENTRAL TENDENCY: Constantly placing people in the middle of the scale or close to the
midpoint, to avoid extreme positions. Staying safe.
Ways to Minimize Rater Errors
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Stick to the Standards
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Describe Benchmarks
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Write down significant events when they occur.
Have someone else rate your documentation.
Do Multiple Appraisals
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Define in specific terms, examples of not meeting the standard, meeting the
standard, and exceeding the standard.
Document, Document, Document
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Concentrate on job performance, not personality.
Be objective—if everybody gets high ratings, don’t change criteria.
Rate each task or factor separately.
Do more than one appraisal a year—set expectations and keep the boss informed.
When possible, have multiple appraisers. Collect data independently and make
sure people know they will have multiple appraisers.
Plan the Appraisal Interview(s)
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Inform people to be interviewed beforehand.
Check their perception of performance.
Keep socializing down.
Stick to standards and determine areas for improvement.
Set a follow-up meeting.
Observable Activities: Practice Activity
Below are listed several observable activities that are likely to occur in a classroom. Indicate the TPAI-R
Function area in which one would look to record each activity.
Example: Teacher greets students at the door. Function Area 1.
_____ 1. Teacher corrects talking student by walking to the student.
_____ 2. Teacher writes lesson objective on the board.
_____ 3. Student lays head on the table.
_____ 4. At tardy bell, three students slip into room unnoticed.
_____ 5. Students pass books to the front of the row.
_____ 6. Teacher asks questions and moves to another student if unanswered.
_____ 7. While students write sentences from the board, teacher searches for lesson planning book.
_____ 8. At dismissal bell, students wait for teacher directions.
_____ 9. Materials on overhead projector are too small to read by students.
_____ 10. Entire class period was teacher lecture.
_____ 11. Student moves to filing egg crate to remove folders.
_____ 12. Students call out grades to be recorded in the grade book.
_____ 13. Teacher asked questions one at a time and directed questions to specific students by calling names.
_____ 14. Student table arranged so students can not see the chalkboard.
Gary Jarrett, Section Chief
School Personnel Support, NC DPI
2000-2001
Possible Data Sources
Student reports
 Peer reviews of materials
 Student achievement data
 Teacher tests
 Parent reports
 Systematic observation
 Administrator report
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Data Sources: Practice Activity
In the “original TPAS” process, one could only record information that was observed in a classroom. The motto was
paraphrased “if you didn’t see it, it didn’t happen.” Moreover, the first five functions were the only ones that could be
rated/observed in an observation. This is no longer true in the TPAI-R models.
Additional sources are used to evaluate performance. In fact, multiples sources and multiple observers are encouraged.
For each function below, list examples of sources or documented evidences that could be used as part of the evaluation.
1. Management of Instructional Time:
2. Management of Student Behavior:
3. Instructional Presentation:
4. Instructional Monitoring:
5. Instructional Feedback:
6. Facilitating Instruction:
7. Communicating Within the Educational Environment:
8. Performing Non-Instructional Duties:
Gary Jarrett, Section Chief
School Personnel Support, NC DPI
2000-2001
COMPARISON OF EVALUATIONS
ORIGINAL TPAI
EVIDENCES
TPAI-R
Direct Observation
(“If you didn’t see it,…)
DOCUMENTATION
FODA
FODI
Functions 1-5
FOCUS/EMPHASIS
6-step lessons
Observation(s)
FODA/FODI
Lesson Plans
Test Data
Parent Letters
All 8 functions
Individualized Instruction
Student Outcomes
Standard Course of Study
Administrator’s Office
LOCATION
Teacher’s Classroom
6-Point Rating Scale
OTHER
4-Point Rating Scale
Action Plan Requirements
(G.S. 115C-333)
Dr. Lynn Bradshaw, TPAI-BT Training Materials
TEACHER PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL INSTRUMENT-REVISED
FACT SHEET AND SUMMARY
FACTS
The TPAI-R is an adaptation of the former TPAI/S implemented in NC since 1980’s
Revisions required under provisions of the Excellent Schools Act of 1997
Revisions aligned with NC General Statutes 115C-333 and 335
TPAI-R involves two separate processes, depending on the experience of the teacher, but shares some forms and language
TPAI-R projects only one of nine that were developed
Implementation date was July 1, 2000
Use of new instruments must occur July 1, 2001
Training of administrators on-going since October 1999
Web site for information located at www.ncpublicschools.org/evalpsemployees
SUMMARY
Two separate TPAI-R processes: one for beginning teachers and one for experienced teachers
Each system and process validated for use with that instrument and classification of teacher
Each system has own merits
Common language shared with regards to functions and indicators
Each based on previous training of TPAI
SUMMARY OF TPAI-R FOR BEGINNING TEACHERS
Purpose directed toward accountability, competence and ILT process
Developed by East Carolina University under direction of Dr. Lynn Bradshaw
Tested and validated for use with beginning teachers –not career teachers
Beginning teacher defined as four (4) or less years of experience
Requirements include:
One (1) full summative evaluation on the Teacher Performance Appraisal Instrument
Three (3) full class period observations by administrator or designee
One (1) of the three (3) observations proceeded by a pre-conference
Use of FODI (or scripting process) to script notes for each observation
Three (3) post observation conferences using a FODA
One (1) peer observation
LEA decision on time frame for observations and completion of summative evaluation
Action plan development for anyone re-employed with a below standard rating on the summative evaluation
Continued on next page...
SUMMARY OF TPAI-R FOR EXPERIENCED TEACHERS
Purposes directed toward growth and professional development
Tested and validated for use with experienced teachers—not beginning teachers
Experienced teacher can be either probationary and career status
Has a formative and summative cycle for teachers with career status
Non-career status teachers on summative cycle (4 observations) until career status earned
Requirements for career experienced teacher on summative cycle include:
At least once every five years, teacher on a summative cycle
One (1) full TPAI-R
One (1) full class period observation utilizing observation scripting skills
Pre-conference with scoring rubric
Post conference on observation and pre-conference rubric
Two (2) snap shot observations (post conference not required unless requested or below standard items observed)
IGP and scoring rubric
Final Verification Form completed and used as summative
Requirements for career experienced teacher on formative cycle include:
Two (2) snap shot observations following above format
IGP and scoring rubric
Final Verification Form (suggested not required)
Requirements for experienced teacher without career status (probationary) include:
Every year full summative cycle process until tenure/career status achieved
One or two (LEA choice) full TPAI-R
One or two full class period observations utilizing observation scripting skills
One or two pre-conferences with scoring rubric
One or two post conferences on observations and pre-conference rubric
Two or three snap shot observations with (post conference not required unless requested or below standard items observed)
Note….one (1) observation must still be completed by a peer
IGP and scoring rubric
Final Verification Form
Requirements for career/experienced teacher with below standard performance
After determining performance is below standard, teacher is placed on a full summative cycle with extra observations
Two full TPAI-R
Two full class period observations utilizing observation scripting skills
Two pre-conferences with scoring rubric
Two post conferences on observations and pre-conference rubric
Four snap shot observations (post conferences not required unless requested or below standard items observed
IGP and scoring rubric
Action plan
Gary Jarrett, Section Chief, School Personnel Support
Final Verification Form
NC DPI
2000-2001