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OPINION

An alternative approach to teacher evaluations

Delaware Voice: Lamont W. Browne

Data released two weeks ago showing 99 percent of Delaware teachers were rated "effective" or "highly effective" has fueled the need for a better evaluation system. While this is an obvious conclusion, it misses a major point: teacher evaluation without effective coaching does not benefit kids.

To become a nationwide leader in education, our evaluation system should provide an accurate reflection of teacher performance (with an incredibly high bar) and improve teacher performance.

East Side Charter School – in partnership with Kuumba, Prestige and Thomas Edison – was approved by the Department of Education to use the aptly titled "Teaching Excellence Framework," an alternative to the state's evaluation system. Focusing on teacher development, we set a goal to observe every one of our teachers biweekly, followed by a one-on-one coaching session between the coach and the teacher between 18 and 20 times annually.

All observations are unannounced, allowing for a real perspective of the teacher's effectiveness and growth. This forces teachers to deliver excellence every day. Similar to random drug testing in professional sports, by keeping teachers on their toes throughout the year, they strive for a high-quality lesson every day, never knowing when they will be monitored, thus providing consistent excellence for students.

We also digitally record every lesson to guide the teacher's development and promote a better understanding of the teacher's tendencies, strengths and weaknesses. This puts the onus on the school's leadership team, as it is our job to design and deliver a plan that improves teacher performance.

In essence, our evaluation/coaching model is an individually customized professional development session every other week. The evaluation rubric communicates a very high expectation of teaching excellence, and thus, high scores are both difficult to attain and incredibly motivating to our teachers.

The TEF evaluation allows for a fifth rating, "Developing," to account for teachers who are making a difference for their kids and progressing toward excellence. Last year, 47 percent of East Side teachers met this rating, evidence of the incredibly high bar set.

The supportive relationship between teacher and coach has helped break traditional barriers between evaluation and support, leading to strong teacher buy-in and overall satisfaction with the TEF. A recent survey of East Side teachers produced the following impressive results:

• 88 percent believed the TEF helped them identify their own strengths and weaknesses

• 93 percent felt a common vision for teaching efficiency has been established

• 90 percent of teachers felt that the feedback and action steps they received helped to improve their instruction

• 96 percent believed the feedback from being observed helped them improve student outcomes

• 93 percent felt they received the support necessary to implement the changes suggested by evaluators

• 93 percent felt the school was committed to improving instructional practices

• 100 percent felt that their instructional leader was committed to improving their effectiveness

So, what happens when teachers are held to a high standard and leaders are held accountable to regularly helping each teacher improve? Students learn – ALL students learn.

From 2011 to 2014, East Side Charter School has grown 30 percentage points in reading on the Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System (DCAS) and 26 points in math. Looking solely at each student's fall-to-spring growth – the student achievement metric that is now part of each teacher's evaluation – East Side far exceeded the state's average growth in 2014.

Reading – East Side: 63 percent; Delaware: 55 percent

Math – East Side: 73 percent; Delaware: 57 percent

With a 100 percent minority population – 87 percent qualifying for free/reduced lunch, and 18 percent labeled as special education – we are slowly proving what is possible for all kids in Delaware. We are far from great and still have a long way to go, but we do have great people, all with a great work ethic, great passion and great hunger to learn, to grow, to collaborate and to help every child succeed.

As advocates for universal student achievement, we hope to share our lessons learned and successes with policymakers, district leaders and charter leaders to drive change to the benefit of students statewide.

More effective, self-aware and highly skilled teachers and leaders will make our schools more productive and proficient academic institutions. We all have the power to transform lives, eradicate the achievement gap and produce motivated young people who will lead our state in the future. It is our job to make it happen.

Lamont W. Browne, Ed. D, is head of school/principal at East Side Charter.