Highly Effective Evaluation Process Overview

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Overview

Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, school districts and BOCES may choose to offer a Highly Effective evaluation process to educators who have earned a Highly Effective rating for the previous three consecutive years. This evaluation process can be an opportunity to recognize Highly Effective educators and provide them with avenues to grow and deepen their practices as an educator. Once a district/BOCES elects to offer a Highly Effective evaluation process to eligible educators, the district/BOCES also must create guidance for implementation.

For districts/BOCES using the Colorado Performance Management System (COPMS) also known as RANDA, and per Senate Bill 22-070, CDE will create a Highly Effective evaluation process within the system, including a modified rubric for licensed educators (i.e., teachers, Special Services Providers (SSPs), and principals). The new evaluation process in COPMS will be available for the 2023-24 school year; additional details and support for using this new feature will be available in summer 2023. While details and support for the process in COPMS is forthcoming, numerous decisions regarding implementation guidance will be needed at the local level and are not dependent on that information.

Timing for Implementation

Given the Highly Effective evaluation process will be an option beginning in the 2023-24 school year, districts/BOCES are encouraged to initiate conversations and decision-making as soon as feasible to determine if this opportunity will be made available to educators.

To ensure decisions align with local values, and to support districts/BOCES with decision-making and planning related to the Highly Effective evaluation process, the Educator Effectiveness Office has updated its Values Activity Guide. Districts/BOCES are strongly encouraged to utilize this guide and engage with stakeholders (such as the Advisory Personnel Performance Evaluation Council (1338 Council)) as early as possible in the planning for the 2023-24 school year.

Aligned with state statute and State Board of Education rule, districts/BOCES must clearly communicate to all licensed educators the tools that will be used to measure their performance, and all educators should be aware of what is included in their evaluation and how they will be evaluated for the school year (22-9-106(1)(e)(II) C.R.S. and 5.3(D)(E)(F) C.C.R.). Therefore, decisions to offer a Highly Effective evaluation process will need to be settled as the school year gets underway, ideally before the initial evaluation orientation takes place.

Key Points to Consider

All educators, including those who consistently earn a rating of Highly Effective, benefit from meaningful feedback and dedicated time with their evaluator to hone their craft. How a district/BOCES chooses to offer differentiated evaluation and support can vary and should be aligned with local values and established educator evaluation systems. Districts/BOCES are encouraged to engage with stakeholders in the decision-making process to determine if a Highly Effective evaluation process will be offered, and if so, how it will be implemented within the local context. In addition to the Values Activity Guide, the following are key points to consider when determining if and how to offer a Highly Effective evaluation process:

• How will your Advisory Personnel Performance Evaluation Council (1338 Council) be involved in the decision to offer a Highly Effective evaluation process?
• How does your evaluation system currently differentiate feedback and/or support for educators at varying levels of effectiveness?
• What training and/or support may be needed for evaluators and educators if a Highly Effective evaluation process is offered in your district/BOCES?
• What could be leveraged from your current evaluation process to support implementation of a Highly Effective evaluation process?
• How can you ensure that Highly Effective educators receive a rigorous and meaningful evaluation, including observations and feedback?
• What will an annual evaluation cycle look like for educators using the Highly Effective evaluation process?
• How will you communicate the availability of this option to your educators?
• How can you leverage and/or include a variety of professional learning opportunities for educators using the Highly Effective evaluation process?
• Will you differentiate the Highly Effective evaluation process for each educator role, i.e., teachers, SSPs, and principals? If so, how? If not, why not?
• How will you address a change in evaluator for educators using the Highly Effective evaluation process?
• How will you address a change in role/assignment for educators using the Highly Effective process?
• How can you leverage the use of a Highly Effective evaluation process to retain teachers?
• For educators new to your district/BOCES, how will you consider/apply an educator’s use of the Highly Effective evaluation process in their previous district?

Through collaboration and aligning decisions with local values, districts/BOCES can bolster their evaluation system to support ongoing professional growth and deepening of professional practices in a manner that honors the time and dedication of their Highly Effective educators.

Need More Information?

For more information, support and/or thought-partnership please contact your Educator Effectiveness Regional Specialist or email the Educator Effectiveness Office at educator_effectiveness@cde.state.co.us.