Measures of Student Learning Approaches for Selecting and Using Multiple Measures in Teacher Evaluation-Step 1

Colorado has implemented academic standards that describe what students should know and be able to do at the end of their schooling in order to ensure that they are prepared for college and the workforce. Districts can use the standards to support teachers in the identification of learning goals in each course and/or grade level. 

Defining student expectations, by identifying the knowledge and skills students are expected to master by taking a particular course (or courses), can help districts narrow the types of measures selected for use in educator evaluation.  This step of defining expectations is critical in order to provide clarity on the expected outcomes for students, and to understand the different ways in which students should be able to apply and demonstrate their knowledge.  

The identification of expectations starts with a simple question that can be asked at the school and classroom levels: “What do we expect our students to know and be able to do as a result of the instruction received in each (content/course/grade) that is offered in our district?”  Beginning with this question allows everyone in the district to think concretely about what it is they want to accomplish with their instruction and to think about what aspirations they have for their students.  Making explicit connections to the state standards will help teachers realize and appreciate that their aspirations are consistent with state and district expectations.  Only after the expectations for students are defined and are connected to standards can the process of identifying and selecting assessments for teacher evaluations begin.   

Click here to access CDE’s resource page for the Colorado Academic Standards.