Frequency of Evaluations : District of
Columbia

Analysis of District of Columbia's policies

The District of Columbia does not have district-level policy that addresses the number of times teachers must be evaluated.

However, the IMPACT system, district-level policy implemented by the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), represents significant policy advancements in the area of teacher evaluation. DCPS teachers are observed five times annually, with the first observation occurring during the first part of the school year. Each formal observation is followed by a conference to discuss ratings, feedback and steps for personal growth. Teachers who are rated "highly effective" for two consecutive years receive two observations by December 1, and if their average score is 3.5 or higher (on a 1.0 to 4.0 scale), they may waive observations for the rest of the year. 

Citation

DCPS: IMPACT http://dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/impact

Recommendations for District of Columbia

Require annual formal evaluations for all teachers.
All teachers in the District of Columbia should be evaluated annually. Rather than treated as mere formalities, these teacher evaluations should serve as important tools for rewarding good teachers, helping average teachers improve and holding weak teachers accountable for poor performance.  

Base evaluations on multiple observations.
To guarantee that annual evaluations are based on an adequate collection of information, the District of Columbia should require multiple observations for all teachers, even those who have nonprobationary status. 

Ensure that new teachers are observed and receive feedback early in the school year.
It is critical that schools and districts closely monitor the performance of new teachers. The District of Columbia should ensure that its new teachers get the support they need and that supervisors know early on which new teachers may be struggling or at risk for unacceptable levels of performance.

State response to our analysis

The District of Columbia recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis. The District added that Race to the Top LEAs must evaluate teachers annually. Thirty-one charter LEAs and DCPS participate in Race to the Top, and 91 percent of public school students are enrolled in Race to the Top LEAs.

Last word

It is indeed good news that annual evaluations are widespread in the District of Columbia. To make sure that this extends beyond the life of its Race to the Top grant, the District should adopt formal policy requiring annual evaluations for all teachers.