State Model Evaluation System for Teachers

To support districts in their implementation of Senate Bill 10-191, CDE created a State Model Evaluation System for teachers. While not mandatory, this system provides an option that focuses on teachers' professional growth and aligns with State Board of Education rules.

The model system has been guided by recommendations of the State Council for Educator Effectivness (SCEE), pilot districts and other Colorado educators.

You can navigate the content of this page here:

Teacher Quality Standards
Teacher Rubric
Resources for Using the Revised Teacher System
Training Resources
Resource Guide for Deepening the Understanding of Teachers' Professional Practices
Practical Idea Guides

Teacher Quality Standards

Teachers will be rated on Quality Standards that measure professional practice and student learning over time. Teachers will be evaluated on four Quality Standards (view two-page Teacher Quality Standard overview):

Half of the evaluation will be based on the four Quality Standards that measure professional practice: content knowledge, establish classroom environment, facilitate learning, and professionalism. The Quality Standards can be measured using the state-developed rubric that identifies the practices necessary to achieve the standards.
Measures of Student Learning will account for the other half of the evaluation based on multiple measures of student growth or student learning over time, not a single assessment. Teachers must have a both a collective and individual attribution measure. If a teacher teaches a subject that takes the statewide summative exam and/or the Colorado Growth Model, it must be used as one of the multiple measures.

Teacher Rubric

Download the Teacher Rubric

Resources for Using the Revised Teacher System

These resources are to aid districts/BOCES as they transition to the changes in the State Model Evaluation System for Teachers.

View a high level overview of the changes to the State Model Evaluation System for Teachers.
View a detailed breakdown of the changes to the Revised Rubric for Evaluating Colorado Teachers, including a one-to-one comparison of element shifts and changes.
View a detailed document that has also been created to further explain the changes in scoring for both the professional practice and overall effectiveness ratings.
View a best practices in implementation of evaluation systems document.
Use a ratings calculator to preliminary determine a professional practice, measures of student learning, and overall effectiveness rating.

Training Resources

The Colorado State Model Evaluation System Training Resources and Tools ensures schools, districts and BOCES have access to the latest information and resources to support staff training resources. All materials found on the website are completely customizable in order to reflect district/BOCES values and needs.

Resource Guide for Deepening the Understanding of Teacher's Professional Practices

To support fair and consistent evaluations, CDE is developing tools to promote common interpretations of teacher quality. One tool is The Resource Guide for Deepening the Understanding of Teacher's Professional Practices. The resource guide is meant to support Colorado school district employees, administrators and teachers in developing an understanding of the Colorado State Model Evaluation System Teacher Rubric. As individuals apply the rubric to their own teaching and to that of others, the resource guide can support observers and coaches in accurately identifying evidence for the professional practices. The research, examples provided and the glossary can be used to support the development of a common language for Colorado school district employees to analyze, reflect and plan instruction. In addition, to support educators, observers, coaches, and principals/evaluators in their efforts during this time of different and changing instructional environments (i.e., in-person, remote/virtual, and hybrid), a new Addendum to the Resource Guide for Deepening the Understanding of Teachers’ Professional Practices is now available. This Addendum does not provide an example for every professional practice or element. Rather, it offers suggestions and considerations for teachers and evaluators/observers when thinking about what the element might look like in remote/virtual or hybrid teaching and learning environments.

H.E.L.P. Guides and Practical Ideas for Evaluating Educators with the State Model System

Throughout the development, pilot testing and validation study of the Colorado State Model Evaluation System, groups of teachers and their evaluators with unique roles and responsibilities expressed concerns that the teacher materials didn't provide adequate guidance. They requested additional guidance regarding evidence/artifacts that may be used by such specialized teachers. In addition, they asked about specific practices to “look-for” to guide their classroom observations and help ensure that all licensed teachers receive fair, valid and reliable evaluations.

In response, CDE initiated the development of a set of guides written by practitioners for practitioners. They are intended to provide informal advice to teachers and their evaluators to help them understand the evaluation process within their specific context and offer a guide for how to evaluate licensed personnel (H.E.L.P.).

Please contact educator_effectiveness@cde.state.co.us if an alternate version of a document is needed.

Educator Effectiveness Regional Specialists are available to provide additional information, clarification, and support.