Houston ISD unveils first draft of ‘Teacher Excellence System’ – Houston Chronicle

A sweeping new evaluation system would grade Houston ISD teachers based on their students’ test scores, classroom observations, and “planning and professionalism,” according to a draft proposal released by the district Thursday. Student evaluations would not be included, following feedback rounds earlier in the academic year.

Percentages of teachers will be forced into target distributions, based on how their scores compare to all other HISD teachers, according to the document.

The bottom 3% of HISD teachers will be labeled “unsatisfactory,” the next lowest 12% will be “progressing I,” and the following 25% will be “progressing II.” The largest group, the next 40%, will be “proficient I.” Teachers in the top 80th to 92nd percentile will be “proficient II.” The top ratings are “exemplary I” at 5% and then “exemplary II,” which is reserved for the top 3%.

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The new system would base 35% of a teacher’s rating on student test scores and 45% on classroom observations, including routine spot observations and a formal observation that would be required for new teachers and teachers that score below a certain threshold the final year, according to the announcement and the draft guidebook.

Fifteen percent would be devoted to “planning and professionalism,” determined by a teacher’s use of data to plan lessons and preparation for a lesson, and a final 5% devoted to how a teacher contributes to a plan for boosting achievement campus-wide.

This breakdown follows a November district-wide survey of teachers, testing components of the proposed system at 18 campuses, feedback from shared decision-making committees, and feedback from the District Advisory Committee.

The draft excludes the incorporation of student surveys, previously discussed as a potential smaller component alongside how teachers contribute to their campus action plan. The district opted against including student surveys due to feedback received, state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles said in a Thursday video announcement. The district recently used Panorama Education for a fall climate survey to teachers, administrators and students on multiple aspects of district and campus culture, including safety and sense of belonging.

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“Quality of instruction,” making up the largest component of the evaluation, would rely in part on short classroom observations occurring once per month, according to previous district presentations.For formal observations, teachers may also voluntarily request an observation, according to that draft guidebook.

In the district-wide survey of teachers, only 28% of teacher respondents said they agreed or strongly agreed that spot observations helps schools improve quality of instruction, while nearly all the principals agreed or strongly agreed.

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Student achievement would divide teachers into six groups tied to different assessments including state exams, reading (DIBELS/Lectura) exams, Northwest Evaluation Association’s Measures of Academic Progress assessments, International Baccalaureate exams and Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to a presentation to the District Advisory Committee. For elective teachers, what the district calls student learning objectives will be reviewed by teacher focus groups, according to that draft guidebook.

“Planning and professionalism” would include lessons designed and internalized aligned with state-set expectations; the incorporation of data; “high performance culture”; and “professional expectations,” according to that draft guidebook. No rubric was provided as of Monday for this component.

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The potential evaluation system would be tied to a pay-for-performance system that, regardless of the passage of this proposed system, will be implemented, district officials have said. Teachers unions have already opposed the incoming system, that would tie salaries to their evaluation scores. 

The board will see the proposed system in March, Miles said. There will be teacher focus groups in the coming weeks.