Dallas ISD trustees discuss concerns with new teacher evaluation
Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles said Thursday that some changes proposed for the district’s new teacher evaluation system should be decided by an in-house group of experts.
The evaluation, called the Teacher Excellence Initiative, began this year and will be tied to teacher pay next school year. Some requirements under the evaluation – such as testing elementary school children in art, music and physical education – has caused concern with some school board members, parents and teachers.
Miles cautioned against making changes in the midst of the school year during Thursday’s board briefings. He said controversy and debate was expected over the new evaluation, which the district says is more rigorous than past teacher evaluations.
“Let’s wait at least a year before we start back-peddling,” Miles said.
But at least one change was made following a meeting Wednesday with a principal focus group, according to Miles. He said that it was decided that principals could determine whether to give scores to teachers on spot observations along with feedback. Spot observations are when administrators visit a classroom to grade a teacher.
Parents and teachers have complained that the spot observations are more about policing and compliance than coaching and mentoring. Some trustees would like to see a requirement for 10 spot observations reduced.
Miles said that the district’s TEI expert group, made up of at least two teachers from each school, would consider some changes to the evaluation system at a Jan. 6 meeting. For example, the group will look at whether to reduce the number of spot observations this school year for teachers performing at the highest levels.
Some parents and teachers have complained that there’s an excessive focus on scores and data instead of learning. The new teacher evaluation system relies on in-house assessments and other exams to help grade teachers and determine their pay.
There’s also concern about elementary students, including kindergartners, being stressed over new tests in the non-core subjects of art, music and physical education.
“All of the feedback that I’ve received from parents has been negative,” trustee Dan Micciche said about the additional tests. He added that the time should be devoted to other areas of need, such as making sure kids are reading at grade level.
Trustee Eric Cowan said he hasn’t been able to justify the testing to people who ask. He said that some kids are sitting and waiting for others to finish receiving their individual tests in the classes.
“If I can’t justify testing in art, music or PE, then we really need to reevaluate why we do this,” Cowan said. “There are different ways to monitor instruction in these classes without putting additional tests on these kids.”
Miles said the TEI experts will look at testing in the non-core areas. He said various options could be considered, such as letting parents opt out.
Trustee Nancy Bingham said the evaluation is a work in progress and the program should be given the full year before undergoing many changes.
“For us to sit here and say, `Let’s take this out, let’s take this out,’ without going through the full year, I’m not sure that’s a good strategy,” Bingham said.
Micciche, one of several trustees who brought concerns about the evaluation to district administration, was appreciative that administrators were acting on the feedback.
“I thank you for taking the feedback and looking at it as a constructive thing in what we’re trying to do,” he said.