This profile summarizes the efforts made by states and districts to implement evaluation and feedback systems, including the SREB Elements of Evaluation—basic information about the state evaluation framework. The sections below correspond to the three sections of the State Actions to Advance Teacher Evaluation report released in February 2016.

SREB Elements of Evaluation

Design of State Evaluation Models

Evaluators use the Compass observation rubric to identify critical attributes of classroom practice. Evaluators cite specific evidence before assigning teachers a professional growth rating.

Teachers of tested grades and subjects receive student growth scores based on the state’s VAM. All other teachers receive student growth scores through student growth targets.

Evaluation results inform teacher certification and placement decisions, as well as state accountability for teacher preparation programs. State law requires districts to provide novice teachers with targeted professional development to address deficits identified during the evaluation.

Implementation of District Evaluation Systems

The state education agency (SEA) has developed an evaluator certification and training program that provides targeted support to evaluators whose ratings were not aligned with student outcomes.

School administrators conduct formal observations. However, principals may designate instructional coaches and master or mentor teachers as observers to help inform the overall performance rating. Districts may waive one of the two required observations for educators who are rated Highly Effective, and may increase the number of required observations for low-performing teachers.

The SEA has created an online data platform and a virtual library of instructional videos and SLO examples. The state department partners with the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching to provide support for school leaders implementing the state’s comprehensive educator effectiveness model.

Transformation of Professional Learning

The state department reports VAM data. State implementation reports address key data trends and identify districts where data show a strong correlation between teacher effectiveness results and school-wide student growth measures.

The SEA has created the Louisiana Principal Guidebook. The document offers practical advice, such as how to prioritize time to deliver feedback. The state department has partnered with the National Institute for School Leadership to offer a 16-month principal fellowship program.

The state department has solicited teacher feedback related to the state’s teaching standards, Compass rubric and student growth measures. In response, the SEA narrowed the number of performance standards in the rubric and expanded the rubric scale to make the performance levels more distinct.