Frequently Asked Questions
What is Educator Effectiveness?
Educator Effectiveness is a new and comprehensive teacher and principal evaluation system that will provide tools and support to improve practice and better drive student learning.
Ultimately, all staff in MMSD will be evaluated in a more comprehensive way as tools are developed by the Wisconsin Department of Instruction.
Why do we need a new evaluation system?
The current evaluation system, established in the late 1970s, does not adequately reflect the complex work that teachers and principals do every day or offer the specific feedback that supports professional growth and improvement.
Why did MMSD select Educator Effectiveness?
The foundation for the Wisconsin Educator Effectiveness System is the research-based, nationally recognized Framework for Teaching by Charlotte Danielson. Most districts across the state have adopted the Wisconsin Educator Effectiveness System which will inform most teacher preparation programs across the state.
What is the Danielson Framework for Teaching?
The Danielson Framework for Teaching is a comprehensive and coherent framework that identifies those aspects of a teacher’s responsibilities that promote student learning.
Who designed Educator Effectiveness?
The Educator Effectiveness System was designed by educators and is intended to empower teachers and support professional growth through ongoing reflection and feedback. The system was designed over a two-year period and is being tested through a two-year pilot process. Madison is piloting the system across several schools with a small number of staff.
Who will be evaluated with the new system?
Both teachers and building principals will be evaluated using the new Educator Effectiveness System beginning in the fall of 2014. "Teacher" is defined by DPI as someone whose primary responsibilities include all of the following: instructional planning and preparation, managing a classroom environment and student instruction.
What will the evaluation process look like?
Teachers who are new to MMSD will have a summative evaluation their first year of employment and every 3rd year thereafter. In the non-summative rating years (1 & 2) teachers will identify goals for student learning (SLOs) and professional practice goals (PPGs). Teachers will self-monitor progress towards their goals in the non-summative years through the support of a building coach or peer mentor.
Teachers who are not new to MMSD will have a summative evaluation every three years. In the non-summative rating years (1 & 2) teachers will identify goals for student learning and professional practice goals. Teachers will monitor progress towards their goals in the non-summative years through the support of a building coach or peer mentor.
How will this help me improve as a teacher?
The Educator Effectiveness System promotes the process of setting specific, measurable objectives that help teachers be systematic and strategic in their instruction. Setting identifiable goals for student achievement allows teachers to reflect and examine their instructional strategies, techniques and methods to reach each and every student.
How are student test scores used?
Evidence has shown that setting rigorous and ambitious goals for student outcomes, combined with the purposeful use of data, leads to greater academic growth and performance by students.
Annually, teachers or teacher teams will establish two student learning objectives and identify the appropriate assessment with which to measure those objectives. Goals will be set in the fall with a mid-year check-in conference in January. In the non-summative evaluation year teachers will self-rate achievement of the goals using the Wisconsin SLO Scoring Rubric. In the summative evaluation year, the supervisor will rate the student learning objectives and the professional practice goals using the Wisconsin SLO Scoring Rubric. The SLO score will be combined with the professional practice goal.
Will teacher pay be based on evaluation results?
Teacher pay will not be based on evaluation results. The intent of the Educator Effectiveness System is to provide formative feedback and opportunities for educators to strengthen their practice in order to improve student outcomes. It is intended to be a professional growth and development model, not one that aims to “rate, rank, and remove”.
Can districts outside MMSD access my scores?
Other districts cannot access your scores unless the teacher chooses to share them. The information from evaluation is only available to the evaluator, the teacher and MMSD power users of the system such as HR. Scores are not subject to open records requests.
How should I prepare for the new evaluation?
Staff should remain focused on the goals and practices outlined in their school’s improvement plan. By understanding your school’s data and the instructional practices identified to achieve those goals, staff will be ready for the Educator Effectiveness System.