Frequency of Evaluations : Oregon

Analysis of Oregon's policies

Regrettably, Oregon does not ensure that all teachers are evaluated annually.

The state does not mandate the frequency of evaluations for nonprobationary teachers. New teachers in Oregon must be formally evaluated once a year. As part of the state's process, they must be observed at least twice annually; however, Oregon does not indicate when these observations should occur or whether teachers are offered any immediate feedback regarding their performance.

Citation

Oregon Revised Statute 342.850

Recommendations for Oregon

Require annual formal evaluations for all teachers.
All teachers in Oregon 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, Oregon 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. Oregon 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

Oregon recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis. The state added that SB 290 requires use of State Board of Education adopted model core teaching standards in all teacher evaluations. The model core teaching standards and the development of requirements for teacher evaluation through the 2011-2013 biennium will provide the foundation to address these criteria.