EDUCATION COMMISSIONER DESIGNEE RE-AFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO NEW TEACHER/LEADER EFFECTIVENESS SYSTEM

EDUCATION COMMISSIONER DESIGNEE RE-AFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO NEW TEACHER/LEADER EFFECTIVENESS SYSTEM<o:p></o:p>   Date: Monday, March 16, 2015<o:p></o:p>   In June 2013, the Virgin Islands Department of Education commissioned a task force to revise the existing educator evaluation processes. The result of the task force work is the new Teacher and Leader Effectiveness System. Following a meeting on March 5th, 2015 between the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Local 1825 and 1826, and the Educator’s Administrators Association (EAA) leaders, and the Virgin Islands Department of Education (VIDE) to discuss the implementation status of the revised evaluation processes, Commissioner Designee Dr. Sharon Ann McCollum re-affirmed the Department’s commitment to the new Teacher and Leader Effectiveness System, the VIDE revised process for evaluating teachers and administrators, launched in the 2014-2015 school year.  Dr. McCollum outlined increased support as teachers and principals work with the system this year in preparation for full implementation next school year. <o:p></o:p> “This year will be viewed as an opportunity to learn the new system to ensure a successful experience for all teachers and principals in the 2015-2016 school year,” Dr. McCollum said.  <o:p></o:p> During the meeting the school districts’ superintendents and AFT and EAA leaders were updated on the status of the implementation.  Commenting on the meeting, Commissioner Designee remarked, “Challenges in implementing the revised evaluation processes this year were discussed and supports were recommended.” Commissioner Designee McCollum added.  “Participants worked collaboratively to recommend solutions and request additional support for teachers and administrators.”<o:p></o:p> The new teacher and leader effectiveness system was designed by a broad task force of education stakeholders.  While it is an evaluation system, the strength of the system is its focus on professional growth and support for teachers and principals.   <o:p></o:p> This school year provides a valuable opportunity for teachers and principals to complete their evaluation process in a supportive penalty-free environment. At the end of the current school year, teachers and principals will receive a numerical score, however the score will only be used to provide feedback, guide development of professional growth plans for next year, inform next year’s evaluation process, and develop cut scores to establish performance ratings; hence, ratings of performance will not be assigned this year.  According to Dr. McCollum, “this year allows us to learn about glitches and to address them now before full implementation in the 2015-2016 school years.”  <o:p></o:p> Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, teachers and principals will receive a rating of performance through the new Teacher and Leader Evaluation Process.<o:p></o:p> For more information on the VIDE’s Teacher and Leadership Effectiveness System, contact Yvette McMahon-Arnold, State Director of Instructional Development at 773-1095, ext. 7086 or <a href="mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.</a>.<o:p></o:p>