Putting the Pieces Together: Educators on the New State Model Eval Sy

PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER: Educators

on the New State Model Evaluation System
Overview
In 2010, Colorado enacted Senate Bill 10-191 (S.B. 10-191), which requires
annual educator evaluations based on statewide Teacher and Principal Quality
standards. In addition, at least half of an educator’s evaluation must be based
on student academic growth, or measures of student learning (MSLs). To help
districts implement S.B. 10-191 and meet the new evaluation requirements,
the Colorado Department of Education developed the State Model Evaluation
System; to date, at least 160 of the 178 districts in the state have opted in to
the system.

About the Findings
Twenty-five Colorado districts participated in a
pilot of the State Model Evaluation System while
also implementing the Colorado Academic
Standards and new assessments aligned
to the standards. As part of this pilot, The
Colorado Education Initiative and the Colorado
Department of Education surveyed teachers
and principals in these districts in the spring
of 2014 about their experiences with the State
Model Evaluation System for teachers. Unless
otherwise noted, the findings presented here
reflect the percentage of teachers or principals
who agree or strongly agree.2

The results of a recent survey conducted in 25 districts by The Colorado
Education Initiative and the Colorado Department of Education suggest that
the majority of teachers understand the Teacher Quality Standards and S.B.
10-191, support the State Model Evaluation System, and believe the feedback
they receive from their evaluators is useful.1 Despite the perception that
feedback from the evaluation is useful, teachers remain skeptical about the
effectiveness, fairness, and accuracy of the State Model Evaluation System,
although principals generally have more positive perceptions overall. Analyses of open-ended responses suggest that many teachers
think the State Model Evaluation System is on the right track, but they are concerned about the time burden placed on teachers and
principals as well as the challenges of using the new evaluation system with certain groups of
teachers (e.g., elementary, special education, and nonclassroom teachers). Teachers and
“The
principals also express an interest in receiving more training on the State Model Evaluation
new teacher
System. Given these concerns, the Colorado Department of Education is rolling out a new
evaluation rubric is
performance management system to assist with the time burden and is creating practical
robust, thorough, and wellimplementation briefs to support specialized teachers in using the system.

researched. We never had a tool
like this before. The whole system …
has enabled me to implement SB 191
efficiently and effectively. I could
not have done it without
such a resource.”
– Secondary principal

Teacher Understanding and Support
Approximately two-thirds of teachers have a good or complete understanding of both
the Teacher Quality Standards and S.B. 10-191. When a similar survey was administered
in 2013, these figures were substantially lower, indicating that teachers’ knowledge of
the State Model Evaluation System has grown (see Figure 1).3 Additionally, the majority of
teachers (52 percent) support the State Model Evaluation System, although fewer believe
that it is currently effective (29 percent).

Figure 1. Teacher Understanding of the Teacher Quality Standards and S.B. 10-191

Teacher
Quality
Standards

Teacher
Quality
Standards

32%

66%

2012-2013

S.B.

S.B.

10-191

10-191

38%

67%

2012-2013

2013-2014

2013-2014

The findings presented here only represent the views of teachers who reported that they have participated in the State Model Evaluation System in the 2013-2014 school year.
Most responses have a four-point scale: strongly agree, agree, disagree, and strongly disagree. If responses also include a neutral option, all responses are presented in the accompanying figures.
3
These percentages only reflect the responses of teachers who completed the survey in both the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school years.
1
2

1