The evaluations are based on Charlotte Danielson’s rubric, which uses multiple measures to evaluate various kinds of teachers in public schools
by David Kilby, Special Writer
ALLENTOWN — The Upper Freehold Regional School District is preparing to implement new state-mandated teacher evaluations.
The evaluations are based on Charlotte Danielson’s rubric, which uses multiple measures to evaluate various kinds of teachers in public schools.
Ms. Danielson, whose Danielson Group is based in Princeton, is an internationally-recognized expert in the area of teacher effectiveness, specializing in the design of teacher evaluation systems.
Dr. Richard Fitzpatrick, superintendent of schools, gave an in-depth explanation of the new evaluation process at the Board of Education meeting July 17.
He explained there are at least three different kinds of evaluations for as many kinds of teachers. There is the student growth percentile evaluation, student growth objectives and administrative observations.
Student growth percentiles measure the achievement of children from fourth to eighth grade. In this evaluation, he said, students are tested in language arts and math, and their performance then is used as a way of assessing their teacher’s performance in the teacher’s final evaluation.
Dr. Fitzpatrick explained that about 30 percent of teachers are assessed through this evaluation method.
Student growth objectives are another way teachers are assessed. For example, a teacher sets a goal for the semester, stating they would raise growth percentages. Approximately 15 percent of teachers are evaluated using this method.
The remaining 55 percent are evaluated through observations.
”Those observations are reflective of what is recorded as a result of our evaluation,” said Dr. Fitzpatrick.
About 20 percent of the district’s staff teaches language arts or math between grades four and eight.
Teachers who are in their first or second year will have three observations, two long and one short, he said. Three- and four-year teachers will get at least one long and two short evaluations while tenured teachers will get at least three short evaluations.
”If we are concerned about the classroom atmosphere or the ability for a teacher to communicate learning objectives in an artful way, then we will often have more than one observation, and it may be three long observations,” Dr. Fitzpatrick said.
”Throughout this whole process, there is this constant focus on collaboration and dialogue,” he added. “One of the requirements is that one of the observations has to be a joint observation with another administrator. What one might miss another may be able to pick up.”
Board member Gregg Barkley asked how the observations would impact staffing and administrators’ time.
”Every year, they get hit with another thing. Last year, it was HIB (harassment, intimidation and bullying); now this,” Mr. Barkley said. “What’s going to come next? Is this all being done by the principals and vice principals or are the supervisors having a role in this?”
Dr. Fitzpatrick said the observations will be done by principals and vice principals, adding the number of evaluations being required is not more than the district has been doing on its own.
”What changes this is the accountability, the weight, that can seriously affect one’s future,” he said. “We have to be certain that everything we’re finding can be documented.”
He also said this will be a trial year even though the state did have pilot districts that implemented the evaluation program last year.
”I have very high expectations for my administrators, and they have really worked to fulfill those expectations,” the superintendent said. “I told them this is all new to everybody. I think we are in a really good place. However, we are aware that with the 2 percent cap, we have to take something out in order to put something else in.”
Board member Peter Katz asked if parent or student input would factor into teacher observations.
”These are people who deal with the teachers all the time,” Mr. Katz said. “Obviously, you may have outliers you may not want to rely on, but there might be some way to incorporate other groups that interact with the teachers in a significant way and not just rely on the three interactions or observations by administrators.”
Dr. Fitzpatrick said people would be surprised to see how aware the administrators are of student and parent opinions regarding teachers.
”When Danielson wrote this, she really considered all aspects of the process, and (student and parent input) is not eliminated from it,” he said.
Dr. Fitzpatrick said administrators do get a tremendous amount of feedback, but the new teacher evaluations may help them formalize the process.
”This (evaluation) has caused a tremendous amount of anxiety for teachers around New Jersey,” he said.

