The Massachusetts
Model System for
Educator Evaluation
Teachers
21
Dr. Patricia B Grenier
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Objectives
 Assess Current Knowledge
 Reflect on Progress to Date
 Share Best Practices
 Strategize Gathering Evidence
 Formulate Observations and Feedback
 Formulating Next Steps
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Let’s Review
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Every educator is an active
participant in the evaluation process.
Every educator and
evaluator collects
evidence and
assesses progress
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Collaboration and continuous learning are the focus.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
By documenting and analyzing practice
from multiple angles and over an
extended period of time, educators and
evaluators develop a more complete
picture of performance, which leads to
a more accurate and informed
evaluation.”
Module 5 Facilitator’s Guide
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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Gathering Evidence – Key Points
There are three types of evidence required by
regulations.
Evidence-based statements are critical and should
connect to relevant Standards and Indicators.
One must develop tools and processes for
gathering and organizing evidence.
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Artifacts in the Educator Plan
Review the Educator Goal Setting and
Educator Plan form for Tom Wilson.
For your assigned action step, on a sticky
note, write down two artifacts that could be
collected to show progress toward the goal.
Post your sticky note on the section of the
chart paper with the same number as your
action step.
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Sources of Evidence for
Summative Ratings
 Three categories of evidence must be collected for each
educator:
1. Multiple measures of student learning, growth, and
achievement
2. Judgments based on observations and artifacts of
professional practice
3. Additional evidence relevant to standards
o This includes evidence collected by the educator and
shared with the evaluator relating to fulfilling
Standard III: Family and Community Engagement
and Standard IV: Professional Culture from the
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Model System Teacher Rubric
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
What does this look like?
Products of Practice
Related to Standards
Artifacts
• Teacher-developed unit
assessments
• Grade-level meeting
notes
• Parent/teacher
communication log
• PLC meeting notes
Observations
• Notes/feedback from short,
frequent observations
(inside/outside classrooms)
Multiple Measures
of Student Learning
Other Evidence
Related to Standards
• Student work
• Student and staff
(quizzes, homework,
feedback (2013–14
presentations, etc.)
school year)
• Portfolios
• Performance
assessments
(including arts,
vocational, health
and wellness)
• Interim assessments
• State or district
assessments
• Notes and feedback from
announced observations
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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Implementation Responsibility
 Educator responsibilities:
o Identifying, collecting, and organizing artifacts/evidence related to
goal progress
o Documenting action steps completed
o Collecting and submitting common artifacts
o Collecting and submitting evidence related to Standards III and IV
 Evaluator responsibilities:
o Making resources and supports available
o Identifying common artifacts/evidence
o Observing practice and providing regular and specific feedback on
performance
o Monitoring progress—including midpoint check-ins
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o Organizing and analyzing evidence over time
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Evidence or Judgment?
Examine Handout 2.
Highlight factual statements.
Underline judgment statements or statements
not based on evidence.
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Artifact Cover Page
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Running Record of Evidence
Form
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Importance of Strategically
Collecting Artifacts
OR
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Importance of Strategically
Collecting Artifacts
Artifacts should be a sample that demonstrates
educator performance and impact:
o Aligned with educator goals, the Model
System Teacher Rubric, or school goals
Number of artifacts to collect varies by educator
Artifacts can provide evidence of more than one
Standard or Indicator
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Strategies for Collecting Artifacts
Identify common artifacts that all or most
educators will be expected to collect (e.g.,
lesson plans)
Share examples of high-quality, valuable
evidence during faculty or team meetings:
o Might include showing sample artifacts that
provide evidence of more than one Standard or
Indicator
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Artifacts From Tom Wilson
Five artifacts with partially completed Artifact
Cover Pages
Set
Artifacts
Location
A
A two-day lesson plan
Handout 3
B
Unit assessment data
Team meeting minutes
Handouts 4 and 5
C
Parent communication log
E-mail exchange
Handouts 6 and 7
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Identifying Evidence in Artifacts
 Within your school team, divide into pairs.
 Each pair will do the following:
o Review one set of artifacts.
o Complete the Artifact Cover Page for those two
artifacts.
o Consider these questions:
– After reviewing these artifacts, what else might
you want to know about Tom’s practice?
– What would you want to ask this teacher?
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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To Recap…
Three categories of evidence:
1. Multiple measures of student learning, growth, and
achievement
2. Judgments based on observations and artifacts of
professional practice
3. Additional evidence relevant to standards
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
1. Support
2. Organize
3. Communicate
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
1. Support
Set Your School Up for Success
 The more concrete the Educator Plan, the easier it
is to identify and collect artifacts.
 Share examples of high-quality, valuable evidence
during faculty or team meetings:
o Demonstrate example artifacts that provide
evidence of more than one Standard or
Indicator.
 Identify common artifacts that all or most
educators will be expected to collect (unit
assessments, parent-teacher logs, etc.).
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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2. Organize
 Adopt a process for organizing artifacts and
observation notes by Standard or Indicator and/or
goals:
o Paper-based, e-mail-driven, or online “cloud-based”
system
 Calendar:
o Review actions in Educator Plans and make agreedupon supports and resources available to educator
teams and individuals throughout the year.
o Identify key points of contact throughout the year
(observations and feedback, formative assessment
conferences, and summative evaluations).
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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3. Communicate Expectations
Avoiding the…
OR
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
3. Communicate Expectations
Artifacts should be a sample that
demonstrates educator performance and
impact.
Evidence should be clearly tied to educator
goals, Standards, or Indicators.
Provide everyone with a clear idea of what,
how, and when to share products of practice.
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Back at your school…
Work with your team to identify how you will:
1. Support,
2. Organize, and
3. Communicate expectations
related to the collection of evidence at your
school.
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Feasibility
Work with your team to identify how you will feasibly
implement this aspect of the educator evaluation
system. How will your school:
Provide necessary assistance and support to
educators throughout the year?
Organize evidence collection?
Communicate information and expectations
related to this process clearly and effectively?
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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Reflecting
On the back of your implementation plan, list:
o Three next steps for you personally
o Two challenges for implementing artifact
collection at your school
o One question you still have regarding
evidence collection
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Homework
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Observations and Feedback
___________________
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Intended Outcomes
At the end of this session, participants will be
able to:
 Describe the role of observation as a methodology for
gathering evidence of educator performance;
 Delineate best practices for conducting high-quality
short, frequent, unannounced observations; and
 Craft timely, targeted feedback that is evidence-based
and grounded in the Standards of effective practice.
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Every educator is an active
participant in the evaluation process.
Every educator and
evaluator collects
evidence and
assesses progress
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Collaboration and continuous learning are the focus.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
What the Research Says . . .
Evaluators need multiple opportunities and
settings to observe and assess educator
practice
Multiple observations paired with timely
feedback are a key part of a strong evaluation
system
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Voices on Observation
Handout 1: Studies link classroom
observations to student achievement , by
Stephen Sawchuck
Handout 2: Mini-Observations – Seven
Decision Points for Principals, by Kim Marshall
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Active Reading
Underline statements you find to be
important takeaways or themes from the
article
Circle one word or phrase that
represents the key takeaway or theme
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Making Connections
What are the key messages and ideas in
the two articles with regard to
observations and feedback?
What are some best practices for
observations and feedback?
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Observing Practice:
What can you see?
Teacher
Inside the Classroom
Outside the Classroom
Student engagement
Professional collaboration
(team meetings)
Classroom management
Differentiated instruction
Family and community
engagement
Cultivating a safe learning
Collaborative data analysis
environment
Principal
Teacher Observations
Family and community
engagement
2-way communication
Communication of school
vision
Safe learning environment
Collaborative planning
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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Principles of Brief Observations
Frequent
Focused
Varied
Useful and Timely Feedback
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Guiding Questions
1. What does it mean to be FREQUENT in
your observations?
2. How does this principle of high-quality
observations better support the
improvement of teaching and learning?
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Guiding Questions
1. What does it mean to be FOCUSED in
your observations?
2. How does this principle of high-quality
observations better support the
improvement of teaching and learning?
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Guiding Questions
1. What does it mean to be VARIED in
your observations?
2. How does this principle of high-quality
observations better support the
improvement of teaching and learning?
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Guiding Questions
1. What does it mean to be USEFUL and
to give TIMELY FEEDBACK in your
observations?
2. How does this principle of high-quality
observations better support the
improvement of teaching and learning?
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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Strategies for Collecting
Evidence
Identify a focus ahead of time
o Goals, specific Standards/Indicators
Record evidence, not judgment
o Quotations, observed actions or movements by
teacher and students, literal descriptors, etc.
Be an efficient note-taker
o Establish abbreviations, paraphrase
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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Evidence versus Judgment
EVIDENCE
T: “Explain your answer to
me. Show me what you
did.”
Students constructed
sailboats using various
types of materials
independently
JUDGMENT
Teacher does a good job
getting students to explain
their reasoning
Teacher wasn’t engaged
enough with the students
and just sat at his desk
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Collecting Evidence Through
Observation
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Video I Background
Kelli teaches 4th grade
A math lesson is in progress
Kelli’s goals focus on:
1. Improving students’ understanding of place value
and properties of operations in order to perform
multi-digit arithmetic (Standard 4.NBT.4-6); and
2. Using instructional practices that engage all
students during independent or small group work
time (Indicators II-A and II-B).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRczDWKhwlg&feature=youtu.be
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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Recording Evidence From An
Observation
Compare/discuss the notes on the
completed Observation Evidence
Collection Form to evidence you
collected
Identify points of agreement as well as
evidence that was not included
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Observation Debrief
What evidence did you see related to
Kelli’s second goal, on a collaborative
learning environment?
Did you see the same things her
principal saw?
What did her principal miss that you
noticed?
What evidence did you see of other
Standards, Indicators or goals?
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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Value of Feedback
Targeted, Ongoing Feedback
Improved Educator Practice
Improved Student Achievement
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Characteristics of Effective
Feedback
FOCUSED: feedback should focus on what was
observed
EVIDENCE-BASED: feedback should be
grounded in evidence of practice
CONSTRUCTIVE: feedback should reinforce
effective practice and identify areas for
continued growth
TIMELY: feedback should be provided shortly
after the observation
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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Constructing Feedback
Kelli’s Goal: Using instructional practices that engage all
students during independent or small group work time
(II-A-2, II-B-2.).
Using your observation notes and the rubric:
Draft two points of feedback for Kelli
Focus on feedback that is
oFocused
oEvidence-based, and
oConstructive
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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Video II Background
Chuck teaches 10th grade physics
Chuck is a 3rd year, non-PTS teacher
Chuck’s goals focus on:
o Helping students to analyze, interpret and
communicate results of scientific investigations and
translate numerical or technical information into
words.
o Creating a safe and collaborative learning
environment (II-B-1 and II-B-2)
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxBavxlDC9s
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Aligning Evidence to
Standards and Indicators
Review your notes with a partner
Work together to assign each evidence
statement to a Standard and Indicator, using
the full Teacher Rubric in your handout packet.
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Evidence of Chuck’s Goals
During the video observation, what evidence did
you see of:
 Helping students to analyze, interpret and
communicate results of scientific
investigations and translate numerical or
technical information into words.
 Creating a safe and collaborative learning
environment
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Draft Feedback for Chuck
Draft feedback for Chuck based on the
evidence you recorded
Come to consensus with your table on
two to three pieces of feedback for
Chuck
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Suggested Homework for
School Leadership Teams
Discuss and plan what an annual schedule of
observations might look like in your school
context.
o Consider the number of evaluators, number of
teachers, and number of school days.
o Consider setting deadlines for completing the first
observation of all teachers.
o Consider having evaluators set a goal for
observation completion, like Kim Marshall did.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
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Suggested Homework for All
School-Based Educators
Try conducting a short observation of a
colleague
Ask your colleague to observe you as well
Debrief/discuss the evidence that was
gathered and what was challenging about the
process.
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Feedback and Questions
Please take a moment to complete the
feedback form being handed out. We
appreciate your feedback!
Questions?
o About this training:
E-mail [FACILITATOR/VENDOR EMAIL HERE]
o About educator evaluation more generally:
E-mail EducatorEvaluation@doe.mass.edu
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Suggested Homework for School
Leadership Teams
Review and discuss your district/school
improvement plan and compare it with the
Standards and Indicators to determine
alignment. Begin to identify the type of
evidence and data that are currently being
collected that could help inform progress
toward Educator Plans and goals.
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Suggested Homework for All
School-Based Educators
Work with a colleague, in a small group or at a
faculty meeting, to select a particular Standard
from the Model System Teacher Rubric, and
identify potential sources of evidence (data) to
inform performance decisions. Discuss
whether these data are easily accessible and
comparable across classrooms.
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education