OEA strongly supports the comprehensive teacher evaluation reforms in House Bill 540.
This OTES reform bill is sponsored by Rep. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green) and Rep. Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville). Both are members of the House Education Committee.
HB 540 will restructure the Ohio Teacher Evaluation System (OTES) so that evaluations are teacher-driven and student-focused. In part, the bill would eliminate the 50% student growth factor (e.g. value-added) in teacher evaluation ratings.
The bill contains six major OTES reforms recommended by the teacher-majority Educator Standards Board (ESB). These recommendations were also approved by the State Board of Education.
Click here for a complete copy of the ESB recommendations.
The six major OTES reforms recommended by the ESB include the following:
- Update OTES Rubric
- Embed Student Growth into the Revised OTES Rubric: At least two types of “high quality” student data would be embedded in the performance rubric in the following areas: knowledge of students, differentiation, assessment of student learning, assessment of data, and professional responsibility. As a result, the bill would eliminate the 50% student growth factor in teacher evaluation ratings.
- Remove Shared Attribution
- Embed the Alternative Framework Components as Sources of Evidence in the Revised OTES Rubric
- Tailor Structure and Timing of Observations to Meet the Needs of Teachers in Order to Focus on Improvement and Growth
- Provide a Professional Growth Process for Teachers Rated Accomplished and Skilled
What else is noteworthy about House Bill 540?
- It provides teachers with more specific, useful, and relevant feedback that is focused on student learning.
- It increases the value of classroom walk-throughs, formal observations and conferences by placing greater emphasis on identified areas for improvement.
- It makes student growth measures a more useful tool for helping students and informing teachers. Student growth data will finally be linked with improving instruction, as opposed to a separate evaluation factor linked to a weighted percentage.
