PreK-12 educators are well familiar with the hotbed of teacher evaluations. Whether on-cycle as a probationary or contract teacher or trying to move up the pay scale, developing and demonstrating competence in the classroom continues all year, every year for educators. In Oregon, each district sets its own practices for teacher evaluation with detailed guidance from the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC). For the last 5 years, Bend-LaPine Schools have been developing and piloting a unique teacher evaluation system that appears to increase the potential for globally identify professional teaching success as well as moving up the pay scale in relation to intentional growth. This new system incorporates designs similar to National Board Certifications and The Aspen Institute’s work.
Oregon House Bill 3233, among others, created a “system of support, in short planning for continued guidance for each teacher, no matter their area of teaching. NCTE holds a similar stance, noted within the Position Statement on Teacher Evaluation. NCTE believes that multifaceted teacher evaluation is a significant component for student, teacher, and school improvement and advocates strongly for a system that emphasizes professional growth. (NCTE, 2012).
Within Bend-LaPine Schools Professional Advancement and Support System, the following actions serve as crucial actions to ensure teacher quality and growth:
- Mentors guaranteed for in-classroom support,
- Ongoing professional development expectations,
- A variety of pathways for moving up the pay scale more rapidly.
Professional Advance and Support System is designed to assist teachers in moving into more reflective classroom practices.
Teachers submit in-class video, analysis, written submissions, student-work assessments, and an action-research project to a board of two BLS educators and one district administrator for evaluation on a district created rubric.
Educators have the opportunity to excel in three categories of professional growth over the course of their career in BLS.
In addition, Bend-LaPine offered their teachers two professional learning days for 2017-18 school year. Teachers joined into district-driven professional learning days on one of the days while the second teachers chose what they studied.
Those new to teaching and the district automatically enter into PASS whereas educators who have been with BLS have the option to stay with the prior evaluation process or opt into PASS.
At the date of this report, traditional salary scales are still eligible for some educators within BLS. As is true in many districts, National Board Certification can play into professional growth as well.
Resources:
Bend-LaPine Schools (2015-16). . Bend-LaPine Schools PASS Handbook 2015-16 . Retrieved from https://www.bend.k12.or.us/application/files/9514/5650/7580/BLP_PASS_Handbook_-_revised_022516.pdf
Oregon Department of Education (2017-18). Oregon Framework for Teacher and Administrator Evaluation Support Systems: Revised for 2017-18. http://www.oregon.gov/ode/educator-resources/educator_effectiveness/Documents/oregon-framework–for-eval-and-support-systems.pdf
National Council of Teachers of English (2012). NCTE Position Statement on Teacher Evaluation. Retrieved from https://ncte.org/statement/teacherevaluation/
Fisicaro, Kailey (2017, December 31). Bend-La Pine system provides mentorship, quicker path to higher salary: In newer system, teachers must submit work to earn next level of pay. The Bulletin. Retrieved from http://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/5877604-151/bend-la-pine-system-provides-mentorship-quicker-path-to