Washington State’s Teacher and Principal Evaluation Pilot needs a corps of Instructional & Leadership Criteria and Framework Feedback Specialists (CFFSs) who can support the state’s 2,800 principals as they implement a new evaluation system for teachers. With priority given to the 65 districts with Regional Implementation Grants (RIGs), OSPI intends to train 900 principals, assistant principals, and district administrators in August of 2012 and 1,800 in the spring and summer of 2013.
This FAQ provides both general information on professional learning for the new teacher and principal evaluation systems as well as specific information for RIG and non-RIG districts that have participated in the RIG process this year and met RIG assurances.
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What training will the state provide to implement the new teacher and principal evaluation systems around Instructional and Leadership Frameworks?
OSPI will provide initial 2-day training for every principal/assistant principal and district administrator on the Instructional and Leadership Frameworks over the next 18 months as districts prepare their systems for the new evaluation requirements for both teachers and principals. Training will be framework specific and regionally-based. RIG districts will be offered the training first, and then participation will be opened to other districts (see RIG specific FAQ below). OSPI is still analyzing capacity to provide training for a limited number of teachers/teacher leaders in each RIG district as part of this important change in the teacher evaluation system. We believe there is a strong connection between building a successful state system of evaluation and professional growth and the training available to all educators impacted by the new evaluation changes. The state will start this process by creating our own corps of Criteria & Framework Feedback Specialists for both the Instructional and Leadership Frameworks.
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What are the selection requirements for Criteria & Framework Feedback Specialists?
Each Criteria and Framework Feedback Specialist will specialize in one state-approved framework and will be available through the year.
The Instructional Specialists will be distinguished district/regional administrators, teacher leaders, principals, instructional coaches, mentors and other talented educators (either currently practicing or recently retired) with demonstrated ability to:
- observe teaching and provide feedback regarding performance using rubrics connected to an instructional framework,
- conduct conversations that elicit additional evidence of teacher performance on criteria not directly observable in the classroom; and
- facilitate reflection and goal-setting that supports educator growth over time.
The Leadership Specialists will be distinguished practicing or recently retired educational leaders with demonstrated ability to:
- observe professional practice of principals and assistant principals and provide feedback regarding performance using rubrics connected to a leadership framework,
- conduct conversations that elicit additional evidence of principal performance on criteria not directly observable in the school; and
- facilitate reflection and goal-setting that supports leadership growth over time.
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What are the commitments of the Criteria and Framework Feedback Specialists?
OSPI will build regional capacity to support TPEP implementation by recruiting 95 educators to learn from framework authors (June 26 – 29) and then facilitate training for RIG district principals and district administrators in numerous two-day workshops offered in August. About 20 of the CFFS will focus on leadership frameworks; the others will select one instructional framework as their focus. We are recruiting a strong cadre of instructional leaders (district/regional administrators, principals, coaches, mentors, and others with similar skills) to apply for these opportunities.
It is also anticipated that the Criteria & Framework Feedback Specialists team will meet quarterly with the participants they trained in August and also continue to be coached by the framework authors’ designees during the course of the 2012-13 year. This progression of learning will be determined and a professional learning model developed in collaboration with the framework authors’ designees with input from TPEP pilot sites, ESD RIG sites and the TPEP steering committee.