Evaluation Committee

Alameda’s Guiding Principles

 

The Alameda Education Association (AEA) and the Alameda Unified School District acknowledge that

 

Educators provide the stable, nurturing, inspiring environment that makes it possible to reach each student individually.  Teachers and the classroom/school environment are the foundation of a solid educational experience. Educators need and want an evaluation system that strengthens their knowledge, their skills and their practices, and the goal of any teacher evaluation system should be to improve student learning. ^[1]

 

These are the proposed guiding principles for the Alameda Unified development and evaluation system for all educators (classroom and non-classroom):

 

1. The goal of the development and evaluation system is to strengthen the knowledge, skills and practices of all educators to improve student learning.
2. Our system must provide relevant and constructive feedback that supports and informs our work.  Feedback must be coordinated with ongoing, quality professional development; linked to curriculum standards; and provides adequate time and resources for coaching, modeling, observation, and mentoring.
3. Our system must be developed and implemented collaboratively with the participation of AEA members and administrators to ensure a supportive climate for improving practice and professional growth.
4. Our system must be differentiated to support the development of educators through all career stages -- from beginning to mid-career to veteran.
5. Our system must address the varying assignments of educators based on the standards of professional practice appropriate to each role.
6. Evaluations must include evidence of teaching and student learning from multiple sources, including both formative and summative methods.
7. Our development and evaluation system must include opportunities for peer involvement.
8. Our evaluation system must consider the complexities of teaching and student learning that are outside of the educator’s control and beyond the classroom walls.
9. Our evaluation system must include the standards of professional practice that acknowledge the multiple activities and responsibilities at the site and district levels which contribute to the improvement of learning and success.
10. All evaluators must have extensive training and regular calibration in all evaluation procedures and tools.
11. All evaluation components and procedures must be based on research and best practices; be clearly defined, explained and transparent to all educators; and monitored regularly for validity and reliability.
12. To protect the integrity of the evaluation system, participants, evaluators, and peer coaches, must keep the information collected as part of the evaluation and development process confidential.
13. Our system will be regularly monitored and evaluated by a joint committee of AEA members and administrators to ensure that it is working as intended and it remains consistent with its purpose.
14. To be successful, our system to support professional learning requires an ongoing commitment of the necessary financial resources, training, and time from all parties.

 

 

  ^[1] "Teacher Evaluation Framework FAQ - California Teachers Association." 2012. 10 Aug. 2016 <http://www.cta.org/en/Issues-and-Action/Teacher-Quality/Teacher-Eval-FAQ.aspx>