Framework and Rubrics


What is an Instructional or Leadership Framework?


An instructional or leadership framework provides a common language and vision of quality teaching/leading shared by everyone in the district and aligned to the eight principal and teacher criteria created by E2SSB 6696.

“Principals and teachers use the common language of instruction/leadership to:

  • converse about effective teaching,
  • give and receive feedback, and
  • collect and act upon data to monitor growth.

-Adapted from Marzano’s definition from “Creating an Aligned System”

For a crosswalk of the three approved instructional frameworks to the criteria, as well as criteria definitions, framework architectures, FAQs, and how the framework crosswalks were developed, check out our framework support document (PDF).

Frameworks and ESSB 5895


Section (2)(e) of ESSB 5895 states:

(e) By September 1, 2012, the superintendent of public instruction shall identify up to three preferred instructional frameworks that support the revised evaluation system. The instructional frameworks shall be research-based and establish definitions or rubrics for each of the four summative performance ratings for each evaluation criteria. Each school district must adopt one of the preferred instructional frameworks and post the selection on the district’s web site. The superintendent of public instruction shall establish a process for approving minor modifications or adaptations to a preferred instructional framework that may be proposed by a school district.

Preferred Instructional Frameworks


The three preferred instructional frameworks are:

CEL 5D+ Teacher Evaluation Rubric 2.0
Research based on University of Washington work, classroom practice, and principal observation.

Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching
Research based on classroom-based observations, theorizing teaching practice, MET project study, focus group feedback, and crosswalk with student assessment.

Marzano’s Teacher Evaluation Model
Research based on meta-analysis, control studies, correlation studies, focus group feedback, and observations.

Learn more about instructional frameworks and leadership frameworks and how they’ve been developed throughout our pilot, or view just the instructional student growth rubrics.

Preferred Leadership Frameworks


OSPI has adopted two leadership frameworks for the new evaluation system, one of which is the AWSP Leadership Framework, which our RIG districts and many of our pilot sites have used. The second leadership framework is the Marzano School Leadership Evaluation Model.